Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet
by JenniePenny
Summary: DRAMIONE #5 Broomsticks Series Story. Luke embroiled in custody battle over his son.Scorpius is benched for a year from quidditch,Evil Wizard runs against Draco for Minister,Hermione must help Luna and her daughter escape a squib unfriendly society. SEX
1. The Gauntlet

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 1

(It's been nearly a year since the end of Broomsticks and The Big Apple. The Malfoy's are once again living in Britain)

"Did you read the Daily Prophet today?" Harry Potter said holding Hermione's hand discreetly across the table, at the small coffee shop in muggle London.

"Mmm, I did. Theodore Nott. He was one of Draco's friends," Hermione said sipping on her Mocha Latte.

"So you know what we have to do?"

"I know."

"I'll meet you at the regular place and then from there we can go to my house?"

"Harry, Draco's getting suspicious."

"We just have to stick to the story 'Mione."

"I know. It was my idea, remember?"

"I do."

Harry stood up and kissed Hermione on the cheek and apparrated away. Hermione sipped her coffee and reflected over her clandestine meeting with Harry, that was scheduled for tonight. She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins, when she thought about what she and Harry did each time they met under the cloak of secrecy. She looked at her watch and wondered where Drew was. She was late again, damnit. And Luke, where was he? Probably cooped up in that ruddy potions lab with Draco since school was out after Peeves flooded the entire main floor. She hated that her son was living the life of an adult, without any of the adult benefits. And Draco. Draco was asking too many questions lately and she had to get back before he came home for lunch and found her not there. She had left baby Jillian with Narcissa, yet again, for the third time this week.

_POP_

"Mum," Luke said bending and kissing Hermione on the cheek. "Drew's not here yet?"

"Of course not. Molly probably kept her. I can't stand that woman, she still had the tendency to prattle on about the mundane." Hermione checked her watch again and cringed. Draco would be home for lunch, she was going to be late.

_POP_

Molly and the baby popped in. Hermione's eyes lit up at seeing her grandson. Drew had named the baby on her own, without Luke's involvement. She named Hermione's grandson, Arthur Lucius Weasley, or Artie for short.

"Hello little Luke Junior," Hermione gushed as she reached out for the baby.

"It's Artie, Hermione, and you know that." Hermione and Molly did not get along, ever since it came out that Luke had fathered Drew's baby. The Weasley's and the Malfoy's were pretty much embroiled in a bitter feud. After Hermione and Draco's wedding, Luke confided in his parents. He told them about their special night together on New Year's Eve and how it was the first and only time that they slept together. Hermione immediately tried to contact Ron, but to no avail. Ron was working in Romania with Charlie, taming Dragon's and Molly was left in charge of the pregnant Drew Weasley. Things went from bad to worse, when relations broke down. Molly insisted that Luke either marry Drew and quit school or forfeit all rights to the baby. Hermione and Draco became enraged, when she tried to dictate their son's life and then more outrage when Molly filed court papers, on Drew's behalf, preventing Luke from claiming any stake to the child. Hermione had to go into court and fight for visitation for Luke and for she and Draco as the grandparents. Meanwhile, Luke and Drew were cast into the middle of this feud. Luke often was pissed off at the adults and told them to butt out and just let he and Drew handle it, but nobody would or could. Luke was only fourteen and Drew only fifteen. They were kids. They had no idea how to handle a custody situation…or so Hermione and Molly thought.

"Where's Drew?" Luke asked Molly.

"Never you mind where she is, Luke Malfoy. Why don't you just get over this unhealthy obsession with Drew and go find yourself some rich pureblood girl who will bow to your every command," Molly shot back at Luke.

"How dare you speak to my son like that! I'll have you know that Luke is a top honors student at Hogwarts. He's a prefect and…"

"Mum, shut up! Give me my son. I only have a few minutes to spend with him and I don't want him having to listen to this cattiness!" Luke took his son and made for the park across the street. He sat down on a swing and rocked his baby in his arms. Hermione nearly cried at seeing the tenderness in Luke's eyes as he rocked his infant son.

"You're hurting the kids Molly, by continuing this. I know Ron wouldn't approve of this either. If I could reach him…"

"Ron respects my judgment where Drew and the baby are concerned. Need I remind you that I raised seven children, long before you and your Death Eater husband had even your first spoiled rotten playboy of a son."

"You are no better then Voldemort! You know that Molly. You are so jealous that Draco and I have money and that we use our money to do good things, that you can't stand it!"

"Say what you will Hermione. Your son will never be a father to Artie. I'll make sure of it. As soon as Drew is old enough, I intend on introducing her to a nice boy, who will raise Artie as his own. In fact, she may have already met him," Molly smiled.

"You make me sick! I'll fight you every step of the way Molly. You won't win either. I'm the best counselor there is at the Ministry and I _will_ beat you. I've been nice up until now, but you lay threats at my son's doorstep and I promise you I will take full custody of Lucius JUNIOR!"

"ARTIE!"

"Whatever you say, old woman," Hermione spat.

Hermione checked her watch again and so did Molly.

"Bring the boy back now," Molly snapped her fingers and Luke reluctantly brought his son back to the redheaded great grandmother. Molly and the baby apparrated away and Luke let his head drop into his hands as he wept.

"Luke, I'm so sorry. Do you want me to fight for full custody? It will be hard because Drew is the mother and mother's rights are…but I'll do it for you. This is ridiculous that you get twenty minutes a week to see your son with that old bat looking on and snapping at you like you're her house elf. Not that she could afford one because she can't!" The months of infighting had taken it's toll on both Luke and Hermione. She was saying and doing things that she knew weren't right, but just like Molly, Hermione felt like she had protect Luke. The end result was a traumatized Luke and probably a traumatized Drew too. However, they wouldn't know, because Molly conveniently kept Drew away from Luke at every turn.

"I want you to leave me alone mother! I want all of you to just leave Drew and me alone. I wish I could talk to her. She won't except my owls, she won't see me and this is never going to be worked out! And you two…you are just making this worse always bickering!" Luke stood up and apparrated away.

.

.

"Where were you and why didn't you take Jillian with you?" Draco asked, bouncing the baby on his knee, a bottle in his hand.

"I'm sorry Draco. It was her naptime and I had errands to run. It was Luke's visitation day today too. I swear that Molly Weasley gets more bitter each passing day. She actually threatened to take Lucius Jr. away from Luke for good! Said she was fixing Drew up with a nice poor boy who could be a father to the baby. I swear, I just want to wring her neck!"

"Maybe I should have a talk with the Weasel. Maybe if we sit down man to man we can work something out." Hermione shot Draco a disbelieving stare. That would be the day that Ron and Draco could sit down like two civilized wizards and work anything out.

"Give me my little Jillybean." Hermione said reaching out for her daughter. The baby was adorable, with white blonde hair and eyes that looked like the scales of a Caribbean tropical fish glinting in the sunlight, blue and silver. She would be a knock out when she got older, this much was certain. She cooed and smiled at Hermione and Hermione hugged her daughter. It wasn't that Hermione disliked being a mother again. She loved little Jilly very, very much. She just had so much on her plate as of late. She had returned to working at the Ministry on a part time basis and then she had the thing with Harry, that took a lot of her time, and then Luke and his custody battle, not to mention that she was acting as Scorpius's agent and manager, going over his contracts with the pro quidditch team Puddlemere United. Draco had finally succeeded in passing the anti squib laws in America. He didn't know why the American Ministers had a change of heart, but he wasn't going to argue over it. He was grateful that his proposed law, banning Squib Shops had passed. Squibs were now free in the Americas. He had returned to Britain in order to drum up European support for the law. It had not been going well though, and this frequently left Draco cranky. Whilst the Malfoy's were living in America a new contender for the office of Minister of Magic, once Draco's term was over, was a wizard by the name of Raspodin. Raspodin, stood for everything that Draco didn't. Draco had become a controversial Minister, with his sweeping reforms and changes. While half embraced his changes and felt that his vision was the correct vision for the wizarding world, the other half feared change and Raspodin fed into their insecurities. He claimed that if we allowed squibs the same freedoms as wizards, then they would take hard working wizards jobs. He released the population numbers of squibs, to The Daily Prophet and people were shocked to find that nearly 1 in 5 witches and wizards born, were born as squibs. Raspodin attributed this sharp rise in squib births to the mixed society they were living in now. Muggle borns marrying Purebloods and ruining the family lines of rich wizard stock. Halfbloods and muggle borns marrying and raising kids. He was deceptively sneaky and his platform was very reminiscent of a certain Dark Wizard who shall not be named but who went by the dreaded name of, "You Know Who." Draco was livid over it all and Hermione suspected that he was going to run for Minister again, though he hadn't come right out and said it after his promise to her to be home with the baby more this time around.

"Hermione there is something we need to discuss. It's about my term as Minister of Magic. I know its ending and I know I promised you that I would not run again and would spend more time in the Potions lab." (Draco had started a Pharmaceutical company called Malfoy's Potions Plus)

"Yeah, I remember Dragon. Something change?" Hermione said sweetly to her husband.

"I want to run again. Raspodin is dangerous. I know what I said, but I have to Sweetpea."

"I think you should. I'm glad you came to this decision and I agree that he's dangerous. This is wonderful Draco," Hermione threw her arms around his neck and kissed his pink perfect lips.

"I thought you would be mad. I told you before you got pregnant with Jillian, that I would help you more with the baby."

Hermione set the baby down in the bassinet and took Draco in her arms.

"This is something that you have to do. I understand that. Sometimes, there are things I have to do to." That was as close as she would come to admitting that something was indeed going on in Hermione's life. Something that she couldn't tell Draco. Something she was involved in, with Harry Potter.

.

.

"So I'm going over to the library to do some research on child custody cases in the wizarding world. I want to be clear on Luke's rights. Don't wait up Dragon." Hermione said putting her arms in her overcoat. It was February and it was a cold and blustery night. The weather was so terrible, that Draco found it hard to believe that his doting wife was actually going to the library. He had been suspicious over the last month, all these nighttime visits to the library, so this time he was going to follow Hermione and find out what his wife was really up to. Hermione left Draco with a cooing Jillian and Draco stood up and threw his trench coat on.

"Daddy is going to drop you off at Grandma Malfoy's house. She will fawn over you and spoil you rotten and then when Daddy gets back he will give you a bath and tuck you in my sweet little princess," Draco said kissing his infant daughters forehead. She blinked and smiled at her father and Draco hugged the little bundle of joy before apparrating them to the Malfoy's.

He knew that Hermione always went to the library. He had followed her there the last time, but then he had lost her. This time he would follow her more closely and hopefully find out where it was she going two, sometimes three nights a week, since the baby was born.

He apparrated to the library and stood behind a bush. Hermione was pacing in the cold February wind. Draco watched eagerly and then someone landed on a broomstick in front of her. She hugged the man and then mounted his boom.

"Shit!" Draco whispered to himself as he called his own broomstick to him. It felt like it took minutes for his own Firebolt to arrive and he mounted it in rapid fashion and took off into the skies in the direction they had flown. He could see them in the distance.

"Goddamn it! Why the fuck is my wife riding on the back of some blokes broom? She hates mother fucking flying!" Draco cursed. He was beginning to seethe with jealousy. They finally landed and Draco too landed on the street and hid behind a dumpster. They were in a familiar area of London. He recognized this place, though he couldn't place it, but he thought he had been here before. He moved closer, stalking his wife through the night. He was close enough to see that she and this man were standing on a doorstep at Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

"Potter!" Draco said to himself. Now he knew why this place was familiar. He listened.

"Are you ready?" Harry Potter said pressing his forehead to Hermione's. Hermione nodded as Draco watched. Then Harry leaned down and pushed Hermione's curls behind her ears, before laying a kiss on her cheek. "Let's do this then!" The couple entered the house. Draco fluffed his collar up as the freezing rain began to fall. He lit a cigarette and puffed on it, rage coursing through his veins. A black cat jumped out of one of the dumpsters and without thinking, Draco hit the mangy animal with a spell, launching the cat into the air. It landed in a nearby tree with a hiss, but Draco paid it no regard. Was his wife having an affair with Harry Potter? She had been so loving to him only this afternoon. She had even supported his desire to run for Minister yet again. Maybe she just wanted him out of her hair, so she could carry on like a common slut, with Potter. Draco lit a trashcan on fire with his wand. He was pissed off, to put it mildly.

.

.

"Where's the portkey, Harry?"

"I hid it well, just in case of Auror's you know. Three more people in the auror's office know about the underground Hermione. We will have to start taking more precautions, maybe set up some security wards and start asking questions of those that show up."

"I know Harry, but we need the support."

"Still, we don't need the wrong sort of people catching wind of this. So, the vase over there on the mantle is the portkey. Shall we?" Hermione nodded and both Gryffindor's touched the vase and found themselves spinning through the air. Finally, they landed at the Scottish Loch.

"This way Hermione." Harry Potter led them through the trees and into the cave. Hermione hated traversing these caves, but it was the perfect place to hold their secret meetings. Once inside she dressed in her ceremonial gowns and both she and Harry donned masks. Hermione wore a white cloak and mardi gras mask, hiding her identity from the participants. She stepped into the large chamber and Harry took her hand.

"Welcome to the Wizards Gauntlet. I must impress upon you all, to remember to keep the secret. Good news was received today. I will let the Mistress of Ceremonies tell you about it though." Harry waved his hand to Hermione and Hermione stepped forward. She recognized many of her fellow Gryffindor's below, as she stood on the rock platform, overlooking the treacherous contraption that was the gauntlet. Oliver Wood was doing exercise's to loosen up, while Cormac McLaggen stretched and flexed his muscles. There were many wizards she didn't recognize as well and some former Slytherins, like Blaise Zabini, that she never expected to see here tonight. She worried about seeing Blaise, and she hopped that he hadn't told Draco about the Gauntlet. She had no idea how she would explain that she was part of an underground secret society, where wizards competed against one another. The cause was so important though. The winner of the weekly Wizards Gauntlet, was to escort a squib family, on the run from the Ministry's round up, to America. It was dangerous and heroic and it gave the participants a purpose in life. Hermione had come up with idea and Harry had helped her implement it. After a teenage squib tried to escape on his own and was captured and turned over to the Squib Shops, where he was forced to work as an indentured servant for a pureblood family, Hermione knew that things had to change. They needed powerful witches and wizards to volunteer to escort the squibs to a safe harbor. But with the risk of capture so high, since the Aurors were now tracking the squibs and their movements, nobody was hard pressed to volunteer, even those who supported the cause of freeing the squibs. That is, until Hermione and Harry started holding the Wizards Gauntlet. Draco's hands were tied at the Ministry. Until he was either reelected, or this Raspodin became Minister, no new bills or laws could be passed. Essentially for the next three months, Draco was powerless as Minister, until the election was held and a winner declared. It was a safeguard put in place by the Wizengamot, so that failing Minister's couldn't pass all kinds of crazy laws on their way out the door. Therefore, Hermione and Harry came up with the Wizard's Gantlet--a show of strength and cunning and agility and bravery and the prize was the coveted job of seeing the squib and their families to safety. It was genius really, and it was the beginning of what was now known as the Underground Squib Network. Hermione and Draco had made many contacts in America, that supported the cause and played host to the squibs when they arrived across the great ocean. They allowed them to live in their homes, until which time that they could find employment and a home. The squibs finally had the support of their magical counterparts and to the squibs and their families, America was the land of the free. Now with Draco running for Minister again, Hermione had great hopes that he would win reelection and would be able to stop all the propaganda that Raspodin was spewing. His support was growing too and with that, the Aurors had intensified their search for the missing registered squibs. Before, the Aurors would turn a blind eye to a runaway squib, but as the political season heated up, so did the pressure on the Auror's office to find these squibs and bring them to justice.

"Good news, yes. I received word a few days ago that our last Gauntlet winner arrived safely in America with the poor boy whom we helped to start a new life. He was a rat collector on Diagon Alley, but he wanted so much more out of life. Now, because of wizards like you, that boy will have the life he's always wanted. This week, we have a family that desperately needs our help. Some of you may have seen the story in The Daily Prophet today. The Notts home was raided, when they refused to surrender their squib daughter to the Auror's Office. We have hidden the family and the winner of tonight's Gauntlet, will escort them to a safe haven in the sunny state of Florida. Do we have any contenders tonight?" Hermione gazed around and Wood and McLaggen and a few others stepped forward. Harry cleared his throat.

"Let the games begin!"

Mclaggen was first. The course was a difficult course. Contestants first had to step inside a catapult that launched them over a charmed firepit of hot coals. When they landed they were thrust onto a platform where steely spikes shot through the floors, while swinging pendulums would knock them for a loop, if they didn't time their steps just right. After that, they had to walk through a nest of growing devil's snare, that threatened to strangle the contestant. If they made it past the devil's snare, then they dropped down into a maze where various bogarts threatened to scare the living shit out of them, their worst fears being seen. Once through the maze, they had to climb a rope that was dripping with slime. At the top of the rope was a series of swinging bars, sort of like a trapeze, that they had to traverse. Slithering snakes littered the ground below. Finally, they had to break through a series of security enchantments to find their way out of the Gauntlet. If they chose the wrong one, they would receive a powerful electrical shock and the competition would be over for them. This was the most important part of the course, in that Aurors used traps to trap a fleeing squib and it was the wizard's job to recognize the trap, when it was thrust upon them. Harry had used his Aurors training in order to set up this particular part of the Wizards Gauntlet. Knowing all the Aurors tricks, this course was a good prepared course, for being able to successfully free a squib from Britain without ebing captured by Auror's in the process. Every single winner of the Gauntlet had made it to America and back, safely and undetected, so it was working.

The Wizards Gauntlet was in full swing and McLaggen was putting up the best time they had seen, until he came to the security wards…where he failed miserably.

"You suck. Let somebody younger have a go." Hermione turned to Harry when she thought she recognized the voice of the next contestant. The person was wearing a mask, as this was optional. Some wizards who attended, preferred their anonymity and Harry and Hermione supported that, seeing as they both wore masks too. The cave, that was on a piece of property in Scotland, that Harry Potter had purchased after his divorce, was not set up to keep certain underage wizards out, something that occurred to Harry when he saw the teen step up to Gauntlet.

The young wizard stepped up and Hermione narrowed her eyes when she saw the blond hair behind his mask. He launched himself from the catapult and then made his way through the pendulums with ease. He was doing great on the course, until he reached the devil's snare. He couldn't remember the spell to release himself from the snare. Hermione was whispering under her breath that the snare hated sunlight, something she remembered from her first year. The snare tangled itself around the wizard's leg and then his body was being twisted until the snare had weaved itself around his torso and legs and the boy was screaming out in pain. Hermione shot the snare with light from her wand and the boy fell to the pit below. People were clamoring over the young wizard and when his mask was accidentally knocked from of his face, Hermione gasped.

"Scorpius?" She said, seeing her unconscious son. She raced to his side and apparrated them both out of there before anyone had the chance to suspect who they were. She flicked her wand and her robes and mask disappeared and later she found herself sitting in the waiting room of St. Mungo's. The hospital had owled Draco and he came bounding through the doors in his woolen trench coat.

"What the hell happened? Why is Scorpius here? Did he have a quidditch injury?" Hermione hugged Draco tightly but Draco was not hugging her back. She wondered why, but with no time to worry about that, she rushed Draco down the hall to their son's room.

"They wouldn't talk to me until both of us were here. I'm sure he's going to be alright."

"Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy. I have some good news and some bad news, in regards to your son." Persephone bounded through the door at that. Hermione wrapped a comforting arm around her daughter-in-law as the healer continued.

"This is his wife, please go on." The healer looked stunned that Scorpius was married and that he had such a young wife.

"Yes, well, as I was saying. The good news is that he is going to make a full recovery. The bad news is that it's going to take time. I see he plays for Puddlemere United. I am writing a letter to the coach explaining that Scorpius is not to play quidditch for a period of no less then one year. He needs time for his leg to heal. I am prescribing a potion that will kill the pain and he is to take it for the next couple of weeks until the pain ceases. It's quite addicting, so please watch him on this potion."

"One year? What's Scorpius going to do for a year? He lives and breathes quidditch? Can you just knock him out for a year, because he isn't going to go for that diagnosis at all," Persephone said and the healer looked down her nose at the girl.

"She's right. To him, a year is going to be like the end of his career. Isn't there some fast acting potion that you can give him to heal the tendons in his leg?" Hermione asked.

"There isn't," Draco said firmly. "He needs his leg to kick off in qudditch. I don't want some ruddy healer messing with potions they don't know a thing about anyways. He has a year off, period." Draco said angrily. He dragged Hermione outside the room at that and left Persephone to be with her husband. He cornered her against the wall and Hermione suddenly knew she wasn't going to like this conversation. She hadn't seen that look in Draco's eyes before.

"Are you fucking around on me with Harry bloody fucking Potter?" Draco accused. Hermione's eyes went wide.

Review!?

.

.

So, I wanted to get this chapter up while it was fresh in my head. Tomorrow I will finish Merlin's Coven. What ya think?


	2. Room 787 New Year's Eve

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 2

"Draco calm down! People are looking at us," Hermione said pulling out of Draco's grip.

"Answer the bloody question Hermione. I followed you tonight to Potter's house."

"You're following me now? Sheesh Draco, I'm not cheating on you already!" Hermione whispered.

"You aren't?" Draco raised his eyebrow.

"No! Do you ever think I would cheat on you? You know I love you, and only you."

"Then why was he kissing you on the doorstep? I know what I saw."

"Draco, as Merlin as my witness, I swear I am not cheating on you with Harry or anybody."

"Would you take veritserum and say that?" Draco was a Slytherin. He had perfected the art of lying and while Hermione had never given him reason not to trust her before, the facts do not lie.

"Yes, Draco for godsakes! I'm not cheating on you. Now if you don't mind, our son is in there and I think that's where our loyalties should be right now." Hermione tried to move past Draco, but he grabbed her roughly and slammed her up against the stone wall instead. His mouth came down over hers and Hermione melted under his kiss. After years, this man still knew how to light a fire under Hermione. She loved him that would never change. She just couldn't tell him about what she was really doing with Harry Potter. As a Minister, he could be held accountable for breaking the law. The penalty for a Minister who lied and broke the law was death by dementor's kiss. The idea being that it was far worse to commit a crime as a Minister, someone that everyone looked up to, then it was for some common witch or wizard who were after all, infallible. It was a ridiculous law, but one that kept Draco pretty much walking the straight and narrow. He had spent a little time at Azkaban and he wasn't eager to go back. Hermione was protecting the husband she loved more then life itself, by not telling him of her crimes.

"I have my own brand of veritserum, Granger." Draco smiled at his wife.

"You do huh? So after kissing me, you believe me?"

"Yep," Draco said coolly.

"And how do you know Malfoy?"

"Because I know, Malfoy. I felt it in your kiss. You love me."

"Yes, Draco, I do. I didn't know that was ever in question."

"It's not, but you are going to tell me later why you were at Harry Potter's house." Hermione gulped. At least she had some time to think about her answer. They both stepped through the room once again to visit heir son who was now awake and semi alert, the pain potion kicking in and doing its job.

.

.

"Please Ginny. I don't know who else to turn to. My Mum and your Mum, well, they are making a big mess of everything!"

"Yeah, mother's tend to do that Luke. Look, I'm sorry for your troubles, I really am, but I don't talk to my family much anymore. They practically disowned me after my divorce to the Golden Boy. I'm not sure how I could help you Luke."

"Just bring Drew here to the park. Tell them you are taking her shopping or something. I need to talk to her. Please, you're my godmother Ginny." Luke knew how to get to the redhead. Bringing up the fact that Ginny was Luke's godmother was hitting below the belt and the fiery redhead knew she was going to help the poor sod in any way she could. Besides, she knew how controlling Molly could be. She had meddled in her life more than any daughter should have to stand and now she was meddling in Ron's daughter's life. Ginny was thankful she had turned her attentions away from her, but even so it was wrong what she was doing, not letting the kids see or talk to one another. Not that Hermione was right either. She was nearly just as bad as Molly. Ginny had managed to ignore the both of them for months now as she raised her kids in peace. She and Harry had a friendly arrangement and they shared custody for the most part. They never fought and sometimes Ginny even missed Harry. They had slipped up and slept together after the divorce on a number of occasions, and Ginny swore to herself each time she did it that it would be the last. It never was though. While her marriage to Harry was extremely boring for the last couple of years, they always had chemistry and she didn't see what was so bad with a little harmless shagging. Of course Carlson Leprechaun (it was actually Leprechase but everyone called him Leprechaun), star seeker for the Chudley Canon's wouldn't see her trysts with Harry as casual and without consequence, but Ginny did and so did Harry, at least she thought. The last time they'd been together though, it was a little difficult when Harry admitted he still loved her. She attributed it to the fact that he had blue balls, from going without sex for so long and that he didn't really mean it. She would be wrong, but Ginny was enjoying playing oblivious and having fun as of late and she didn't need the stress of worrying about whether or not Harry meant it or not. Truthfully, she still loved him too, but she wouldn't think about that. No, Luke needed her help. It might piss Molly off that she let Drew see Luke and Ginny decided that that would be okay if it did. Maybe she had extricated herself from her family for far too long. What the hell was Ron doing leaving Drew with Molly anyway? Ginny would have taken the girl so Ron could go fight Dragon's. She secretly wondered if Ron wasn't bitter about Parvati ditching him again for that bloke down at the robes shop. Bloody- do-gooder as Ron called him. He was like a Saint, always fundraising or protesting some indigence provoked by the Ministry. Ron also had no idea how to handle the emotions of his teenage daughter so he had escaped to Romania. So, yes she decided she would help Luke. Somebody had to do something!

"Okay so stay here and I'll be right back. Have a lolly." Ginny tossed Luke a bag of Bertie Bots Every Flavored Beans and apparrated away. Luke sat with the candy in his hand and felt like nobody took him seriously. His parents hadn't even given him the opportunity to do right by Drew. He would have quit school and worked at the Potions lab fulltime. He knew he was going to do that after school anyways. His mother was the one all caught up with him being a prefect and all that. Luke could careless and in fact, he didn't want the responsibility. He wanted to get out of Hogwarts as soon as he could and start his real life. True, he was only fourteen but he was miles older in maturity. He wanted to see the baby more then twenty minutes a week and more then that he wanted his girlfriend back! He loved Drew. He sat on the bench reflecting on their night together.

"_You look so beautiful tonight. That dress brings out the color of your eyes." Luke said to Drew as they danced the night away. Drew reached for the champagne and Luke took one too. They drank and danced and drank and danced and then they stole away upstairs into one of the hotel rooms at the Dragon Witch. Room 787 was the room number. _

"_Make love to me Luke," she said and Luke laid her down on the bed._

"_Are you sure?Don't you want to wait?"_

"_Why wait? I'm moving tomorrow Luke. We won't see each other again for who knows how long. Make love to me."_

"_I don't know what I'm going to do without you. I wish you didn't have to go."_

"_Luke…look at me? Do you still think I'm beautiful?" Her dress was off and Luke gulped at seeing her feminine curves and valleys. He pushed his hand down on his pants, his instant erection making him uncomfortable. _

"_Yes, love, beautiful. The most beautiful girl I've ever lain eyes on. I…I…Drew…"_

"_I love you Luke," she said leaning up and pulling him down over top of her._

"_I love you too."_

"_Make love to me."_

"_Alright, but you need to take a contraception potion. Let me apparrate and grab one from the lab. It's just downstairs; I'll be right back love." Luke apparrated and reached into the refrigerator where he knew Draco kept the contraception potion. Damn, he thought. The housekeeper must have moved them around because none of the potions were in their right places. Hurriedly he tried to find the labeled potion. When he couldn't he set about making a new one. It was an easy to make potion that would only take ten minutes. When he was finally done, he turned out the lights in the lab and apparrated back into the room. Drew was asleep on the bed but something…something wasn't right. The door was open and Drew had bloody semen running down her leg. When it hit Luke what had happened he shuddered. He wiped Drew's leg off and covered the drunk girl up with a blanket. He then took off out the door. It wasn't long before he ran into Damien Stratton. He was sloshed drunk and stumbling down the corridor talking about his dad and what a prick he was and how he was going to grow up just like his dad. _

"_Damien!" Luke called and Damien turned with a smile, a bottle of fire whiskey in his hand._

"_Little Malfoy? Where's your brother Scorps? We should all go play some quidditch," he said slurring his speech._

"_Stratton I just left my girlfriend and she looked like she'd had sex with someone. Did you see somebody leave her room?"_

"_Blue dress? Hips like an hourglass and boobs so suckable? The freckles I could do without but the rest of her…Wow man, she's still asleep dude, you could get some too!" Luke decked him. He didn't stop there though, Luke seriously injured Damien Stratton that night. He beat the tar out of him, almost to within an inch of his life. There was a write up the next day in the paper that Stratton had been mugged in the hotel. _

_Luke went back to room 787 and climbed in bed next to Drew. He took his shirt off and when she woke and asked him if he had enjoyed their love making, Luke lied and said that he did. He couldn't tell her that she had raped. She seemed not to remember it and Luke, Luke was responsible for it! If he hadn't have left her alone, none of this would have happened! So when Ron accused him of knocking her up, he did the only thing he could do, accept responsibility. Better that she believe she slept with someone that she loved who then left her, then to think that she was raped and conceived a child. He knew she loved him, so that would insure that she loved the child at least. What a mess. Now, Luke was not so certain that he shouldn't have told her the truth. She was so beautiful laying there so trusting of Luke, and he let her down. He let her be raped. Whatever punishment he received after that, he deserved, as far as he was concerned. He loved her with all of his heart, yet he allowed her to be raped by a cocky drunk bastard._

POP

"Drew, Luke wants to talk to you. I'll be back in one hour to take you back to The Burrow." Luke gulped at seeing Drew. She looked fresh faced and perky, like she always had. She had gotten her pre-pregnancy body back too. She looked just how he remembered her. He smiled and Drew turned away, scowling.

"What do you want?"

.

.

"So, I have a year off wooohoooo!" Scorpius thrashed about in his bed, clearly high on the pain relieving potion. Persephone was jumping from side to side trying to keep Scorpius from falling out of bed. "Come here baby, let's make whoopee. Whoopee!! " Scorpius laughed and shouted and Persephone looked at Hermione and Draco with an embarrassed expression.

"He's stark raving mad!" Draco said running a hand through his hair. Hermione had her fingers at her temples as she watched her son carry on.

"It's the potion Draco. The healer said it would make him a little woozy."

"A little woozy? Are you kidding me Hermione? Look at him! He's flying a Firebolt to Mars he's so high."

"I know I know, I'm thinking. How are we going to get him home?"

"I could petrify him to keep him still," Persephone offered. When both Draco and Hermione looked at her strangely, she swallowed back her next idea. "What? I'm only in my fifth year, it's all I know!" The three of them laughed at the situation and then they all three (mostly Draco) carried Scorpius out of St. Mungo's. He must have hit on every nurse that walked by, on his way out the door.

Review!?

Okay, so I could see by the reviews that I couldn't leave things the way they were and ya needed an extra chapter today, so I obliged. Things aren't always as they seem, is all I can keep reiterating lol


	3. Serenity

Broomsticks and the Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 3

"What do I want? How about us on speaking terms, for starters," Luke answered.

"Not gonna happen. Molly says I have to forget about you and find myself a nice boy who will be a good husband to me and a Father to Luke."

Luke smiled at hearing her call the little toddler Luke.

"You call him Luke? Not Artie?" Drew blushed and the tips of her ears turned bright red. "It's okay Drew. I think it's rather sweet. Excuse me for interjecting my opinion, but Molly is full of shit. You should be going to school, not trying to find a husband. Besides, you're beautiful, and I don't think you're going to have to look very far to find any number of boys who want to date you. Present company included."

"How dare you! What is it; you want to get into my pants again, so we can have another baby together? Maybe with all your money, you could order one of your servants to bring us some champagne, just like old times Luke!"

That comment hurt and Luke clutched his chest to mimic his pain. Drew merely cast her look downwards.

"That isn't how it happened and you know it Drew. I'm not here to rehash that nights events though. I just wanted us to start over."

"What about all the letters that I wrote to you? I used to stand by the window, waiting for the post but not one letter…you couldn't be bothered to send one damn letter even!" Drew huffed, shuffling her feet on the ground nervously.

"I should have written. It's just…I'm not good with writing down my feelings. Every time I'd write something, it sounded stupid, so I threw it away and started over, but then that sounded lame too. I wanted to kiss you, and tell you how much I missed you."

"Oh, I'll bet you did. Molly says you were only out for one thing, and after you got it, you moved onto greener pastures." Luke laughed at that. The irony of the situation was exceedingly hilarious. Luke Malfoy, virgin, laying pipe and then leaving the girl. Only problem was, he never made love to her, and then he never left her. She moved back to Britain with her father. Even more annoying, was that she was listening to the garble of an elderly woman, who probably hadn't dated since before cauldrons were in use. Molly was filling Drew's head with nonsense and Luke had no idea how to undo the damage, without completely alienating Drew by insulting her Grandmother. Luke opened his mouth to tell Drew that which he felt so strongly in his heart. He just needed to say it. He would tell her he loves her and then everything would go back to the way it was, except different. This was his hope. He opened his mouth to speak but was drowned out by Drew's biting tongue.

"I'm going to Hogwarts again. I'm going to be in Gryffindor and I don't want any problems. You don't talk to me, and I don't talk to you. You got that Luke Malfoy? I have a boyfriend too, and I expect you not to tell him that I have a child with you. I'll tell him in my own time."

STING

Luke was reeling. Drew had a boyfriend?

"You have a boyfriend? Who is it?"

"Don't sound so surprised! Just because _you _don't appreciate me, doesn't mean other boys won't. He's older then you and cuter then you and funnier then you and everything you aren't!"

DOUBLE STING

"You don't have to worry about me telling your boyfriend anything, Drew! I want to see my son more often though." Luke didn't know what he was saying. She had completely leveled him. He wanted to hurt her back, yet he didn't. He started to turn away in anger but something made him turn back.

"You told me you loved me! I said I loved you. I meant it!" Drew appeared dumbstruck, but she quickly recovered.

"It was clearly all lies." She stomped off at that. "Tell Ginny I'll be in the robes shop. I need new robes anyways." Luke watched as Drew crossed the street and headed into the robes shop. They were in a little shopping mall area of London, devoted to all things witch and wizards. It was one of many new strip malls opening up. To muggle eyes, it was an abandoned parking lot, with weeds growing up between the cracked asphalt, but to witches and wizards, it was a luxurious mall with many cutting edge stores. Draco had even opened a potion shop to sell his product and Luke worked there part time on weekends. McGonagall had given him permission to leave the school since he was so far advanced in his classes and already knew how to apparrate, which was just as well since Luke didn't really have any friends. It wasn't because he was abnormal or strange. He had plenty of girls that wanted to be his friend, and more, and guys who looked up to him because he was smart and handsome and extremely organized and neat. His robes were always pressed and clean and his posture was impeccable. He would eventually become very successful in his own right, but for now, he was a man stuck in a teenager's body. That's how Luke felt about the matter. H waited for Ginny and thanked her for bringing Drew, even if hadn't gone as planned and then Luke apparrated back to Serenity.

.

Serenity was Draco and Hermione's home. It was a tan brick castle nestled along a country road, just down the way from The Manor. It was said to have been formerly owned by a famous power couple. The witch had been a foreign dignitary, that fought for human rights and the wizard, was a former Minister of Magic from histories past. When Hermione heard this, she couldn't wait to sign on the dotted line. It all fit, and she and Draco both adored the sweeping views of the rolling countrywide, so green and fresh, and the wrap around terrace, where the family usually took their morning breakfast. It had twenty bedrooms, a little too much for the Malfoy's, but Luke felt Hermione was in denial over her wealth. After years of living off Draco's money, she was just as posh as Narcissa. In fact, the two women got on splendidly.

"Luke is that you?" Hermione called out from the parlor. Her nose was buried in the Daily Prophet, while Draco helped Persephone put Scorpius to bed.

"Yeah, Mum it's me. I'm a bit tired, so I thought I'd head off to bed."

"Okay sweetie. Scorpius had a bit of an accident tonight. He injured his leg and will be missing this season of quidditch. He's on a pain relieving potion, so if he seems rather odd, you know why."

"Those pain reliving potions are highly addictive Mum. He shouldn't be on them longer then a few days at most."

"Yes, that's what the Healer said as well. Luke…are you okay, son?"

Luke sighed and sat down across from Hermione.

"Mum, I want to go for joint custody. I talked to Drew, and well, she has a new boyfriend."

"That's wonderful Luke! I'm overjoyed that you have come to see my way of thinking on the matter of Lucius Jr.. Oh, and I'm sorry that Drew has somebody new. Other fish in the sea though, Luke. You can have any girl you want, though I hope you remember how much sex can complicate things. Best to wait for marriage."

"I wanted Drew."

"I know Luke, and I'm sorry. I want you to know that this could get ugly. Molly will fight us every step of the way."

"I know. Just do it Mum. Now if you don't mind, I'm exhausted." Hermione nodded and said goodnight and Luke made his way upstairs. He plopped own in his bed, seething at thinking of another boy touching his girlfriend. The girl he loved and the girl he never made love to, despite wanting to, even still. He did want to hurt her. She couldn't just cast him off, like he was nothing. Like their love meant nothing to her. She said she had lied when she said she loved him. Her cutting words, telling him this new boy was cuter and smarter and funnier, totally left him feeling emasculated. If she didn't want to see him in school, then she would see him in court. Luke rolled over feeling slightly better at this prospect.

.

.

"So, both babies are in bed. Jillian fell right out after you fed her. Scorpius on the other hand. Well, he said the strangest thing," Draco said blushing.

Hermione folded the newspaper and smiled up at Draco.

"Oh, do tell? I hope it's funny. I need a good laugh about now." Hermione made her way over to Draco and straddled him. His hands naturally snaked up her shirt where he began rubbing her nipples. "Sore Draco. Still breast feeding, remember?"

"I know, that's why I want them. They're so damn big these days. I can't keep my hands off them." Hermione leaned down and kissed Draco on the neck.

"So anyways, Scorpius was challenging me to quidditch, while I was helping Persephone put him into bed. I told him that I would whoop his arse in his condition and to shut up and stop giving us such a hard time. Then he told me that he had the bigger pecker. I tried to ignore his senseless ranting, but he swore up and down that he had the bigger dick."

"Are you asking me who has a bigger cock, you or Scorpius? It's quite disturbing Draco. I'm his mother." Hermione giggled and Draco scoffed.

"Of course I'm not asking you, that would be demented. I mean, my Father was bigger then me, so it's natural for all father's to be bigger then their son's, right?" Hermione laughed hysterically and Draco blushed, and tried to hide his embarrassment.

"It doesn't work quite that way Draco. Nevertheless, I think your cock is the best cock in the whole world. I've grown to love it." Hermione couldn't help laughing. She proceeded to unzip his fly, while Draco leaned back on the sofa and allowed her access.

"Yeah, but you haven't been with anybody else but me. What if I do have a, you know, a small one?"

"Well, let me see." Hermione stroked her fingers down his shaft and Draco shivered at her touch. She felt every inch of his gloriously big member and then she knelt between his legs.

"Draco, it's big. I may not have experience with other men, but I know a big damn cock when I see one. You have nothing to worry about." Hermione took his tip into her mouth and sucked. Her tongue flicked over his tip and she could taste the saltiness of his precum. She lapped at him and then plunged her head down over him and Draco moaned in his husky voice, his hands holding her face around the jaw line and his thumbs stroking the corners of her mouth as he watched his wife lovingly give him head.

.

.

"Scorpius stop it! I'm not making love to you when you are in this condition," Persephone slapped his hands away but he continued to grope her in bed.

"But, I love you and I need you Sapphire. Come on baby. I'm on fire. You're killing me here!"

"Go to sleep Scorpius. Your leg is hurt and you shouldn't be having sex anyway," Persephone said, rolling over and feeling Scorpius's hard on pressed against her lower back. A few minutes rolled by and his breathing became steady. She thought he was asleep, until he began kissing her neck while he spooned her.

"You could suck me off baby. I'm not going to get any sleep until I can relieve this stress," he whispered in her ear, his hot breath blowing on her neck so sensually, Persephone became aroused.

"You mean come. You can't sleep until you come. Let's stop calling it stress. You used that one all last season, before every quidditch game, Scorpious. I'm older now and I'm not falling for your tactics anymore," Persephone giggled and Scorpius ground his cock into her back.

"Ow! You're stabbing me with that thing." Persephone was smiling as she playfully closed her eyes and pretended to ignore her husband.

"Please, baby." Scorpius said it so pathetically, that she finally caved.

"Alright, but I need a glass of water first. I'll be right back." She left the bedroom. Scorpius mumbled for her to hurry up.

She padded down the hall and scaled the wide staircase, but as she passed by the parlor, headed for the kitchen, she stopped short. Her eyes grew wide when she saw Scorpius's mother kneeling in front of an extremely sexy and in the midst of coming, Draco. She knew she shouldn't be watching, but she was too entranced by the act, to turn away. Hermione was moving her head in such a way that Persephone had never tried before. Her tongue was doing things that she had never even thought of and she found herself taking crib notes on how to please her man. Draco was moaning loudly now and Hermione was plunging her whole head down over his length. Persephone snapped out of it when she realized she was standing there in plain sight. She ran back up the stairs, closing the door to she and Scorpius's bedroom and running into the bathroom where she took a big gulp of water from the faucet.

"Took you long enough."

"You idiot. Your father is bigger then you," Persephone said with a snicker. She knew Scorpius wouldn't even remember anything in the morning and she couldn't keep what she saw to herself.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your dicks. He's bigger. Oh don't worry, your cock is big too. I walked in on your Mum, sucking your dad off."

"I don't want to know! Now look what you did." Scorpius pointed downwards to his still thick hard on and Persephone looked up confused.

"Okay I'm still hard but up here, I'm all messed up." Scorpius pointed to his head-- the thinking one. Well, in his state, neither were thinking.

"Oh shut up and lie back, you lush. I want to try something." Persephone took him into her mouth and mimicked what she saw Hermione doing. Two minutes later,Scorpius came harder then she had ever made him come, his shouts loud enough to wake the sleeping Jillian in the next room. Thankfully, the little tike was a deep sleeper. Persephone flopped down on the bed and covered her sleeping Prince up. She felt extremely pleased with herself. She wondered if she should thank Hermione. She slapped herself in the face at such a thought. Stupid. Stupid.Stupid.

.

.

"That was great Hermione. You've never done that before."

"You liked that? Thought I'd try something different this time."

"Are you sure you aren't cheating on me?"

"Draco…That really hurts."

"I'm sorry. Bad joke. But I do want to know what you were doing at Potter's house."

_SHIT!_ Hermione thought to herself. She thought she was in the clear.

Review!?


	4. Sapphires Burn

Broomsticks and the Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 4

Hermione woke up early and made herself a spot of tea. She cringed when she saw the morning edition of The Daily Prophet. There was a picture of Roderick Raspodin, on the front, cheesy curled up mustache and all. He was at a political rally. He chanted along with the crowd the phrase, _No More Malfoy_. Hermione rolled her eyes and turned the page. She squinted to see the tiny picture of Luna Lovegood and her former husband, Jean Paul LaRoche. It was a death announcement. It said that Jean Paul was found crucio-ed to death in his mansion in Paris. A wand was found at the scene, the owner of the wand in question, being none other then decorated war hero, Luna Lovegood. Hermione's eyes grew wide. The article went on to explain, that Auror's couldn't find Luna or the couples three children, but that the estranged couple, had been embroiled in a bitter custody dispute for two years, so the motive was solid and Auror's were currently searching for Ms. Lovegood.

Draco stumbled into the kitchen wearing only his pajama bottoms and he put the coffee on. With his stint in America, Draco had decided, like Luke, that he preferred coffee to tea, so he stocked up on his favorite Wizardbucks brews. He had a taste for Hazelnut and the aroma was a welcome presence in their home as far as Hermione was concerned.

"Draco, be sure to read the Prophet. Especially page two. Luna is on the run. She may show up here."

"Really?" Draco said sipping his coffee. "I'll take a look."

"You may not want to read page one. It's likely to get you into a bad mood. More of Raspodin's attacks on you." Draco grumbled at that. He was used to it by now, but it still stung every time he read the rhetoric and propaganda that his nemesis spewed.

"Yeah well, Blaise is coming over first thing this morning. He and I are working on my reelection campaign. I thought I'd work from home today, since Scorpius is injured and all. Shouldn't Luke and Persephone be up? The Hogwart's Express leaves in an hour."

"I heard them both up this morning." Hermione said, pausing before launching into what she really wanted to say. "Draco, are you angry with me?" Hermione had told Draco the night before when Draco asked why she was at Potter's house, that she couldn't tell Draco what she was doing with Harry Potter. She didn't want to lie to Draco, so she just asked him to not ask her and to trust her. He had bitched and moaned about keeping secrets from each other, but Hermione held steadfast and told Draco that she just couldn't tell him, but that nothing remotely romantic was going on.

"Mad isn't the word, Hermione. Hurt maybe. I meant what I said though. His fucking lips are not to touch your's again. I don't care if it's your cheek or you hand. He's divorced, and its bad enough that you are sneaking around with him behind my back."

"You _are _mad!"

"I think I hear the baby," Draco said extricating himself from the room and the conversation. She tells him that she can't tell him what she was doing at Harry Potter's, but that he should trust her? She obviously didn't trust him, Draco thought to himself.

Draco meandered down the expansive hallway. He knocked on Luke's door and reminded him to get a move on if he intended to catch the train. He was about to knock on Scorpius and Persephone's door, when the girl opened the door. Draco stepped back, a little surprised, but Persephone…Persephone was staring at him. Draco noticed her staring too. Was his daughter in law feasting her eyes on his chest? She looked him up and down and Draco suddenly felt completely exposed, even though he frequently walked around the house without a shirt. He cleared his throat.

"Umm yeah, the Hogwarts Express leaves in less then an hour. I thought you…well…anyways, the baby is up." Persephone cast her eyes down when she realized she had been staring. She couldn't get the vision out of her head though. Draco in the midst of a mind blowing orgasm kept replaying itself over and over again in her mind. His face looked so, well, HOT for lack of a better word.

"Yeah, Scorpius is still sleeping. I won't be able to come back until the weekend, unless I can get McGonagall to let me come home. Thanks for the reminder though." Draco nodded and proceeded into his daughter's room.

"Well that was awkward," Draco said, holding his squirming daughter in his hands.

.

.

"What's up Harry? You said it was important." Hermione said, sitting across from Harry at their normal muggle diner in London. She had a full day today, but she wanted to meet Harry first, in case something bad had happened. Harry worked part time in the Auror's office, so he was privy to information that nobody else had. He kept tabs on whether or not the Auror's office was investigating The Gauntlet.

"It's out. The whole office was talking about the Gauntlet. When your son was hurt, the word spread. How is he by the way?"

"He'll be okay. He's going to be missing a year of quidditch though. I have to go down there today and talk to the coach of Puddlemere United and renegotiate his contract. So, what are they saying?"

"Nothing to worry over, yet. The boys were just talking about it, as if it's some competition. Testosterone driven event. They all want to go now. Apparently, one of the aurors was there last night. I'm grateful the event ended early, even if it was because of Scorpius getting hurt. If they had seen the last part of the Gauntlet, all the wards I put in place, it would be obvious that an auror had erected the damn thing. It could have led to trouble."

"Well, what are we going to do? This is too important Harry. Remember how it was when you and I were the only witch and wizard in the Squib Network? It was exhausting."

"I know 'Mione. I didn't like you doing it either. You were almost killed that one time when you were trapped in that cave by the shore. If you hadn't have gotten yourself out before the tide came in…well I shudder to think about it. I remember thinking I was going to have to tell Draco that I got you killed, and you were pregnant at he time! That was really stupid of me to allow that." Hermione looked down at that. In the early days of the Underground Squib Network, only she and Harry escorted fleeing squibs to America. They had to use well hidden portkey's, but now even the portkey's were being monitored, making the trip that much more difficult. Then they used polyjuice for a while, but the aurors cracked down on that too, making polyjuice potion an illegal substance and one that required a person to submit a formal document in writing and their reasons for needing it. The Gauntlet was the safest way to transport squibs. It assured that the wizard escorting the squibs to freedom, were fit and agile and smart and able to think on their feet. They had a 100 success rating, since Harry and Hermione had passed the torch so to speak.

"Speaking of Draco. He followed me to your house yesterday."

"Oh? What did ya tell him?"

"Harry, he thought I was having an affair with you! " Harry laughed hard at that.

"'Mione that's ridiculous. You're like a sister to me."

"I know and I told him that, but he saw you kiss me on the cheek. Anyways, I told him I couldn't tell him what we were doing, but that I wouldn't allow you to kiss me anymore. He actually demanded that you never touch me again." Harry jokingly moved his hand away from hers at that. Their fingers were touching as they had their tea and banana nut muffins.

"Why didn't you just lie and say you were helping me through the pain of my divorce or something?"

"I'm not going to lie to my husband, Harry! Maybe that's why you and Ginny didn't work out."

"Ouch, that hurt."

"Oh, I'm sorry Harry. I just don't like keeping things from Draco like this. We have a really open and honest relationship and I don't want to tarnish that. I'm just frustrated." Hermione held Harry's hand at that. She was startled when he pulled it away.

"You're touching me, remember?"

"This is silly. Anyways, so was that all?"

"No. The cave down by the loch is getting too small to accommodate the people at the Gauntlets. Therefore, I'm going up there today and move it. I put up security enchantments and wards around my property and I'm moving The Gauntlet outside."

"Well, that's good. I hated the cave anyways. Reminded me of the cave by the shore that time, where me and that poor squib boy got stuck for hours, while aurors combed the beach."

"Yeah, I figured as much. I'm sorry about that 'Mione. I set up that portkey that time. I feel responsible. In any case, I want to change a few of the traps. I'm getting rid of the catapult. Besides it being fun and interesting to watch the wizards fly through the air and land on their arse in most cases, it isn't really beneficial to anyone."

"I'd like to take that bloody devils snare out too."

"No Hermione. The snare is good. How many times did you find yourself tromping through briars and vines with a squib in tow and an auror on your tail? The devil's snare stays. People have to know how to get themselves out of those types of situations. I did however, set up an age circle. Now nobody under the age of twenty can enter the arena. It's my fault that Scorpius was allowed to run the gauntlet. I should have had those safeguards in place, beforehand."

"I don't blame you Harry."

"Thanks, but I do. So, I was thinking. What about a wizards chess board? Or maybe a flying course?"

"Well unless Ron is going to run The Gauntlet each time, I don't think the chess idea is very good. The flying course though sounds wonderful, Harry."

"Yeah, my thinking as well. With all of our means of transportation being sealed off by auror's, broomstick may be our last viable means of getting the squibs and their families out safely."

.

.

"So what's my schedule look like Blaise?" Draco sat his desk in the library with a suave and sophisticated Blaise Zabini, sitting across form him. Through the years,Blaise Zabini had become Draco's right hand man and most trusted advisor.

"I cleared your schedule today, after Scorpius got hurt at last nights Gauntlet. But tomorrow, you have a noon lunch with the Minister from Thailand to discuss tourism. Sexy woman too by the way." Blaise winked. "Then you have a speech to make at DPU, since your campaign has a stronghold there. Then…" Draco cut Blaise off.

"What do you mean Scorpius got hurt at the Gauntlet? And how did you know he got hurt? I didn't mention it and I don't think even the Prophet knows about it yet," Draco said sharply.

"Well, I was at The Gantlet last night when he got hurt. There was no mistaking his blond hair behind the mask. I thought it was you at first, but I knew you wouldn't go down in Devil's Snare. You are much smarter then that." Draco's head was spinning.

"Blaise, what the fuck are you talking about! What's a bloody Gauntlet?"

"Are you fucking with me Draco? I figured you were the master of ceremonies. It's your bloody platform to save the squibs, after all. Stop playing games with me. I'm not going to tell anyone that you set up an Underground Squib Network. Your secret is safe with me. You're like a brother to me."

Draco was rubbing his temples trying to wrap his mind around all of this.

"Blaise. I don't know what The Gauntlet is. I don't know of any Underground Squib Network. Now, if you could please start at he beginning."

Blaise did just that. He explained what the Gauntlet was, how it had become quite popular with the wizards who attended it. The Gauntlet was held once a week and groups of wizards were now coming down to watch and take part. It was the cool place to be and everyone was going. Blaise had heard about it from his on again, off again girlfriend, Drew's mother, Parvati Patil. That is, before she ran off with the guy who worked at the Robes shop, to help save the Cornish pixies, whose indigenous home in Borneo, was being overrun by Giants. Parvati in her adult years was more concerned with various charitable causes, then she was with raising her only child, Drew Weasley. The time she did spend with Drew, was usually spent working on one of her causes, so the girl really depended on the Weasley's for support.

"I want you to take me to this Gauntlet."

"Sure Draco, but wear a mask okay? I'm not sure if it's smart to be seen at this event with the campaign in full swing."

"Agreed. So when do we go? "

"Well, last nights Gauntlet ended early, when your son got hurt, so they are having another one tonight. I guess the master and mistress of ceremonies are hiding Theo Nott and his family after they tried to take his squib daughter from him. There weas a big stand off and some really powerful wizard was defending him against the auror's raid. By the time the auror's got inside, the family was gone. It was in the Prophet Draco."

"Yeah, I read about it. I've had Theo and his wife and kids over for dinner many times since we've been back. Such a shame. That girl is bright and cheerful and a riot. I couldn't imagine what I'd do if someone tried to take my Jillybean away."

"She isn't a….you know…a squib, is she?"

"No Blaise. In fact, Hermione says that when she takes too long to whip the boob out to feed her, she makes the lights flicker. We notice her magical ability most when she gets fussy and is crying to be fed. Still though, even if she were a squib, I'd love her just the same. I really feel for Theo. Look, meet me at The Manor and we will leave from there," Draco said and Blaise agreed.

"Now, I have a couple other matters of importance that I need to discuss with you."

"I want you to check into these figures of Raspodin's. It can't be right that one in five children are born as squibs. That seems really high and I'm not buying that blood status has anything to do with the rise in squibs. It's complete poppycock and he;s using that to instill fear into the minds of the people."

"Done," Blaise said, his quill moving of its own accord.

"Next matter. I want you to book me speaking engagements at all of the places Raspodin lectures at, minus the ones that we know we can't drum up support at. I don't want to be speaking at a Death Eaters anonymous meeting. You getting me?"

"Got ya."

"Lastly, did you see this?" Draco shoved the paper across his desk, opened to the article about his sister Luna.

"Fucking hell Draco…She finally offed the bastard, huh?"

"I don't know. Luna doesn't seem the type to be honest. See if you can find out what the French Ministry knows about this. I want to know what the Auror's office in Paris knows. I'm worried. Her daughter in particular, is such a frightened and beautiful little girl. I of course will help Luna in any way that I can."

"I'm not sure that's so smart, Draco. I mean, associating with a known murderer. You could lose votes, or even be implicated as an accessory."

"Yes, well I don't intend on broadcasting it Blaise, but she is my sister and I want to help." Suddenly the doorbell rang.

"Blaise, would you mind getting that, I think I hear the baby." Draco ran to get Jillian.

"Don't you have a house elf to do this? I swear Draco, I'm not your butler!" Blaise hollered up the stairs as he threw the door open. He was met with the face of Luna Lovegood, with three dirty kids in tow. He ushered them in and then hung his outside the castle, to see if anyone was lurking around. When he didn't see anybody, he closed the door and locked it.

"Nobody followed us Blaise Zabini, except the horneytoads. Blaise shook his head and loosened his collar. He had never noticed how attractive Luna Lovegood actually was and then hearing her mention horneytoads…well…Blaise hadn't had sex in a month, so he wondered if she was talking about him as the horney toad? He almost laughed at the thought.

"So, did you do it?" Blaise asked casually.

"You're perspiring and your face is flushed, and your hand was sweaty when I shook it. Are you attracted to me?" Luna always had a way of cutting through the bull and getting right to the matter at hand. Blaise coughed into his fist, feeling nervous. He didn't see Draco standing behind Luna bouncing the baby in his arms, but now Draco was smirking at Blaise. He had never, ever, seen Blaise blush in a woman's presence before. Maybe he had met his match at long last. The smooth player, the master of manipulation when it came to women, just was flattened by the Knight Bus, his vulnerabilities hanging out to dry. Draco decided to let him off the hook. He cleared his throat and greeted Luna and her children.

"Hi Jessie. Would you like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Hermione showed me how to make them. They're really wonderful and you look a little hungry. The little girl smiled and nodded and then climbed into Draco's arms. He carried both children into the kitchen. Luna followed along with her twin boys Pierre and Francois.

.

.

Scorpius awoke and cringed in pain. His leg throbbed. He looked at the bottle of potion on his night table and turned away. He hated taking potions for anything, even for pain. He hobbled out of bed but collapsed on the small sofa in their room, unable to make it any farther. His guitar was sitting next to the sofa, so he picked it up and started strumming. He had vague recollections of the Gauntlet and how he hurt himself. He didn't remember how he got to St. Mungo's, but he remembered that he was told he couldn't play quidditch for a year. This pissed him off, he was the cornerstone of their team, they needed him. He had hoped to make it the World Cup this year. His strumming took on a dark sound as he began to sing. Draco entered the room at hearing the music and brought him a tray of food. When Draco left, Scorpius flicked his wand and a quill and parchment floated towards him. He started over and played a few chords and then jotted them down. Within an hour, he had written a song. He didn't stop there though, he continued writing, the words and the music just flowing out of him. He hadn't played his guitar in so long and now he couldn't remember why. He thought they were pretty good songs, the best one being about his wife. It was a ballad with deep resonating bass and an edgy melody that he felt was hauntingly accurate at capturing the essence of Persephone. He scrawled at the top of the page after he'd finished writing it. Sapphire's Burn. Not really thinking, Scorpius bewitched an envelope and sent the song in it to a local wizards radio station. He climbed back into bed and drank some of the potion, his leg aching terribly. It wasn't long before his head clouded over and sleep found him again.

.

.

"Hey, Luke!" Lily Potter slid the compartment open and sat down next to Luke. Luke was a fourth year student, but was taking mostly sixth year classes, because of his genius intelligence. Even the sixth year course work was too easy for Luke. He didn't feel challenged at all in school. It really wasn't for him. He hated being there. He would much rather work fulltime in the Potions store. His mother told him not to try to grow up so fast though. There would be dances and other school functions that were vitally important for Luke to attend and enjoy, so that he could be a well rounded kid. So now, he sat in the compartment wondering why it was that Lily Potter was talking to him. She was an average height, attractive girl with auburn hair and emerald green eyes. She was a fourth year student like Luke. Luke didn't know her very well, but supposedly they used to play in each other's paddling pools when they were kids, back when Hermione and Ginny were inseparable.

"Hey Lily. What's up?"

"Nothing. My brother James was annoying me and I saw you in here all by yourself, so I thought I'd come annoy you," the girl winked and smiled a toothy grin at Luke. "You want a piece of gum?" The girl held out a pack of muggle bubblegum.

"Why, does my breath smell?" Luke said dryly. Lily giggled.

"You're funny! So, I signed up for tutoring in Potions. Professor Lynch said you're my new tutor." Luke shot her a half smile. His mind was preoccupied with other things, namely Drew and who this new boyfriend of hers was.

"Yeah, it's one of my duties as a Prefect. Did your Mum put you up to this Lily?"

"Put me up to what?" Lily said confused.

"Nevermind." Luke was reading an advanced arithmancy book before Lily had entered the compartment. He had read the same page three times, unable to concentrate as HER face was burned into everything he looked at. He glanced up from his book when Lily was hovering over him.

"What are you doing?" Luke said to Lily.

"Trying to get this bloody window down. It's stuffy in here. Give us a hand?" Lily smiled again, smacking her gum in her mouth. Luke felt flustered all of a sudden, which was his normal reaction when he was around an attractive girl.

"If I could just get this, ruddy thing to budge I could almost lift it…" Lily was cut off as she pried at the window, when the train hit a rut in the tracks and Lily fell backwards into Luke's arms. He caught her under the arms and legs and now she was smiling up at him and laughing.

"Good catch, Luke Malfoy!" She wriggled up onto her knees as straddled him. Her perfectly rounded breasts were in Luke's face now, as she continued to struggle with the window. "Sorry Luke, but I can get to the window better from this potion. I almost got it." Luke's heart was racing. He could smell the soap she had used to bathe with and it smelled like sweet vanilla. He could see her belly button from the way her shirt was hiking up, with her arms stretched high above her head. She started to lose her balance again as she struggled and pulled at the window of the train. Luke had to steady her with his hands. As he held her firmly by the waist, he found himself losing his mind. She was hot and he had just noticed it. He lifted her up and stood her back down on the floor of the compartment, needing to get himself out of this position as quickly as possible. He banged on the window once and then popped it open. Lily clapped and smiled.

"Thank you! Sorry for climbing on ya a bit. I just get claustrophobic in enclosed places. I know, I'm mental, she laughed. Dad doesn't like small places either. Says it's cause he used to sleep in a cupboard." Luke watched as Lily stuck her arms out the window. He was entranced by the way the sleeves of her opened robes, flapped in the breeze. He pretended to be reading his book again, but he could careless about arithmancy, watching Lily Potter was for more entertaining. She was a popular girl and rightfully so. She was a bit wild and crazy, but also friendly to just about everyone. She was Drew's cousin and while Drew, always painted Lily out to be an attention hog, Luke somehow thought that maybe Drew was slightly jealous, because she seemed to be genuinely nice.

"Come here. Try this, you'll love it!" With that, Lily leaned her head out the window. He watched as her auburn hair flayed in the breeze. Her eyes were closed and for a moment, she looked like an angel. She ducked her head back in and held her hand to Luke. "Come on, you really have to try this!"

"No, that's okay. I have to finish this chapter before we arrive at Hogwarts."

"Books, schmooks. Come on Luke! This is exhilarating." Luke reluctantly stood up. He towered over the five foot four girl. He leaned out a bit with his head and immediately felt the cold air hit him in the face. He pulled his head back in.

"No, no. You have to lean out farther and stretch your arms out. Feels like flying. It's really cool. Try it!" Lily did it again and this time Luke let his arms extend outwards, leaning farther then the the last time. Lily was right, this was exhilarating. He could hear the constant hum of the Hogwarts Express and the rhythmic clicking of the train on the tracks. Lily reached and clasped her fingers in his hand. They held hands, with their faces to the morning sun and the wind in their hair and Luke for the first time in a year, felt alive.

.

Review!?

For the life of me, this morning I can't remember which frigging year Luke and Scorpius and the others should be in. I think Scorpius should be in his sixth year and Persephone in her fifth. Luke in his fourth year, Drew in her fifth year and Lily in her fourth year. If anyone knows for sure, let me know lol Just remember, this is a year after Big Apple story, so that has to be accounted for too. I suck at math and word problems lol Sad I can't remember what I've written in my own stories. Don't kill yourself though trying to figure it out, but I will change it if I find out I'm wrong. One of my awesome reviewers wanted to see a Luna/Blaise pairing so I am doing just that! I was probably going to do a Ron/Luna pairing instead, but I like Blaise better then Ron anyways, so it works better anyhow.

Note about my story Dark Fire..One reviewer suggested I make a series out of Scorpions Kiss/ Dark Fire. I actually have over 450 reviews for the story Scorpion Kiss/Dark Fire over at harrypotterfanfiction and loads of people asking for me to continue the story, so they can see what happens to Isis's lovelife. I might do it in the future. I love Dark Fire too..That was such a fun story to write, so thank you!


	5. The Man in Black

Broomsticks and the Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 5

The new castle that was Hogwarts, looked much like the old school that was now DPU, but there were some stark differences. The bathrooms were fully updated, the fixtures in the school were updated, so no longer was it a dark gloomy school. Unfortunately, Peeves followed to the new school, merely because it wasn't expected that he would leave the old school and he liked to be cheeky, but other then his ghost, none of the other ghosts had followed. One could only hope, that new ghosts would someday call Hogwarts home again. The new Great Hall had a sound system installed, so that Professor's could make annoying announcements, while the students tried to eat their meals or hear the latest gossip about what evil things the Slytherins got up to.

Persephone ate her lunch, while reading at the Ravenclaw table. She had been immediately sorted into Ravenclaw upon entrance to Hogwarts. There was some question, since she was a Black, that she could either go into Gryffindor, like Sirius, or even into Slytherin, like the rest of the Blacks, but in the end, Ravenclaw was the place for her. Like Luke, she basically kept to herself. She felt like a bit of a freak to be honest. She was married to Scorpius Malfoy, a boy who had a reputation at Hogwarts, for being a troublemaker and a ladies man. For this reason she chose to go by the maiden name of Black.

She took a bite of salad and turned the page of her book. Mr. Malfoy was still in her thoughts, and she wasn't sure why. Sure, he was hot, but so was Scorpius and she truly loved her husband with all of her heart. She decided it must have been the shock of what she saw that had her thinking unclean thoughts about her father-in-law. She certainly had no intention on acting on impulse and making a fool of herself. No, she had already done that this morning when a shirtless Draco showed up at her door unannounced. Her attention was suddenly turned away, when music began to blare over the PA system. Students were dancing and then the voice of Violetta Longbottom, came over the PA System.

"This song is lighting up the Wizards charts and it's by none other then, my boyfriend, Scorpius Malfoy. It's called Sapphires Burn and I think he wrote it for me!" Persephone listened to the acoustic version of a song by her husband, one that she had never heard before and she thought she might cry. This was about her! Her heart sped up as she thought about her man lying in bed, injured and alone. She knew at that moment she had to go to him.

"Oh my god, like, someone said that you're married to Scorpius, but I don't believe them." A seventh year Ravenclaw said to her. Persephone turned, suddenly being drawn out of her thoughts as the song ended.

"What? Yes, I am married to him," she said with pride.

"I have just been notified by a source that shall not be named, that Scorpius's mother was in to see the Headmistress today and that Scorpius Malfoy, will be returning to school next week!" Came the voice over the PA again. Shrill screams could be heard throughout the hall. It wasn't enough, that he was a famous quidditch star, now he was a rock star too? Persephone sank with the thought of even more attention being hailed on her Prince. The girl who had asked her if she was married to Scorps, was now whispering down the table of gossiping girls.

"You're lying. He always dated Violetta Longbottom. They were an item for years. He wouldn't marry someone like you. You're too plain and well, Violetta is beautiful, and there is history there, between their families." Persephone was seething and she did the only thing she could think of to get those bitches to leave her alone.

"I'm related to Bellatrix Lestrange. I forced Scorpius to marry me, because I am a mean and vile wicked witch!" Persephone laughed under her breath. Seeing the tormented faces of the Ravenclaw girls at her table was sweet revenge. More whispers, and Persephone reached for her bag made her way to McGonagall's office.

"Please, can't I go home to be with my husband?"

"I can't just allow students to come and go as they please. I have been entrusted by the parents of the children that attend Hogwarts, to watch over them and keep them in school Miss Black."

"This is unfair!" Persephone sulked in the chair across from McGonagall.

"I trust you heard the announcement Miss Longbottom made in regards to your husband? While I don't know how she found out about it, I can tell you that the rumor is true. Against my better judgment, I allowed him to return to Hogwarts. I can only hope that he has learned his lesson. That being said, I cannot allow you to leave the school grounds. I'm sorry Miss Black." As a deflated Persephone left the headmistresses office, she could hear old McGonagall humming Scorpius's song under her breath. Persephone shot her an incredulous look and McGonagall buried her eyes in her paperwork, slightly embarrassed.

"I'm nothing. The sun sets over my husband, but I can't get a house elf to pay me attention." Just then one of the kitchen elves strolled by. Persephone snapped her fingers and called.

"Hey, elf. Elf!" Nothing, the elf continued on its way. "What does he have, that I don't have? How does Scorpius do this with like no effort whatsoever!" Persephone said throwing her hands up in the air when a group of students walked by her singing Scorpius's new song.

"Welcome to my world. Scorpius is Scorpius. Best get used to it. I've lived in his shadow my whole life. Now it's your turn," Luke said with a friendly smile to his sister in law. He had seen her walk away in a huff and he had already heard rumors that she was Bellatrix's spirit, back from the dead to haunt and taunt the students at Hogwarts.

"How do you handle it? I mean, girls are swooning, boys want to be him. I don't think I can take it!"

"Yeah, well Scorpius was already quite popular at Hogwarts before we left. He was a quidditch star here before he went Pro. See?" Luke pointed at the glass display case in the hall and all the trophies with Scorpius's name engraved on them.

"Look Seph. I love my brother. I got over being jealous of him years ago."

"That's cause you're like this bloody genius, who is probably going to be the one running all things Malfoy in the future,"" Persephone replied.

"Yeah, probably, but you have to know how much my brother loves you. Did you really listen to the lyrics of that song?" Luke raised an eyebrow at Persephone and left her standing in the hallway contemplating his words.

.

He rounded the corner and there, pinned up against a wall, lip locked and blushing in another boys arms, was none other then Drew Weasley.

Luke reached in the pocket of his Gryffindor robes and fingered his wand, contemplating hexing the bloke right then and there, when he was suddenly jerked away.

"Check this out! Come on, this is really funny," Lily Potter said, pulling Luke away. She locked her arm in his and pulled him down the corridor. She stopped in front of the girls lavatory and looked around. Luke was still in shock over seeing Drew kissing Teddy Lupin, so he didn't fight back when he was unceremoniously shoved into the girls bathroom by Lily Potter. "Watch this. You won't believe it!" Lily turned the sink on and wadded up several paper towels and then threw the wet wad into one of the toilet stalls.

"Ouch!" A whining voice replied.

"Okay this is the funny part. Ready? Don't be scared now." Lily wadded up more and more paper towels and then suddenly Luke was pinned against the bathroom wall by a fuming mad Moaning Myrtle.

"Do you think it's funny to throw things at the poor DEAD GIRLl? I left the University to come here for a little peace and quiet. I found a nice drain and then SHE starts throwing things at me. Still the same! Ten points if you get it through her HEAD!" Lily was laughing and even Luke couldn't help but laugh. He had heard stories about the famous Moaning Myrtle.

"Wait…I know you don't I? I knew your father! YES! Tell him to come visit me. He still owes me…," Myrtle said, now cozying up to Luke. "You remind me of him. I like you. But YOU!" Myrtle turned on Lily, but Lily already had another wad of sopping paper towels in her hand and she threw it through Myrtles stomach. Myrtle cried and screamed and then splashed back into the commode.

"Sorry Myrtle! Was just having a bit of fun in the head." Lily chuckled to herself.

"Can I get out of the girls lavatory now?" Luke said smiling at Lily.

"Yep. That was revolting, huh? You okay?" Lily asked as they meandered down the halls of Hogwarts.

"Myrtle doesn't bother me. I've seen a dead body, so a ghost is nothing to me." Lily scrunched her nose up as if confused, but continued on.

"No, I didn't mean about Myrtle. I meant about Drew and Teddy. I thought he was going to eat her face off!"

"I didn't know you saw that."

"Everyone saw Luke. So you okay?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be alright?" Luke said hiding his broken heart.

"Not many people know about everything that went down, but I am one of them. She's my cousin remember? You can talk to me Luke. You know, if you ever need to." Luke stiffened. Lily turned her head as if trying to read his thoughts. She looked deeply concerned and Luke turned away from her stare, nervously.

"I'm fine."

"Okay Mr. Fine, how about that potions lesson then? You can't say no either, because I booked you for this period. Bought and paid for!" Lily laughed and locked her arm in his again.

.

.

_Scorps,_

_I heard your song today. It brought tears to my eyes. I tried to come home to be with you. I'm worried about you. I love you. McGonagall informs me you will be attending Hogwarts next week. I don't know how I'm going to wait until then to see you! I love you a thousand times, I love you. Who in the hell is Violetta Longbottom?_

_Your Sapphire_

_P.S. I'm keeping the fires burning for you._

Persephone fastened the letter into the tawny owls talons and watched as it flew away. She sat down on the steps outside the owlery and wished she was back in bed with Scorpius, taking care of him. She hadn't even thought about Mr. Malfoy all day, since hearing Scorpius's song, and she was thankful for that. She was married to Scorpius, so why should be separated from him? It was preposterous for a teacher to keep her from her husband in his hour of need. She sulked on the steps by the owlery, until she felt something splatter against her face.

"Shit!" Persephone jumped to her feet, wiping the bird droppings from her cheek. "This would never happen to Scorpius!"

.

.

"No, stop. You're doing it all wrong Lily." Luke sat across from Lily at the potions table. The Professor had finished grading a few cauldrons that sat on his desk and then had nodded politely to his favorite student, Luke Malfoy and left the room. Now only Luke and Lily remained in the dungeon.

"I just don't have a flare for this stuff," Lily said with a frown.

"Sure you do. Do you like to cook?" Luke said rolling up his sleeves and coming over to Lily's side of the table.

"Yeah, I do actually."

"Okay, so approach potion making as if it were one of the meals you like to cook. You wouldn't sprinkle the basil into an empty pan first, would you? No, you would wash the chicken first and then later you would sprinkle the basil over it. There's an order to doing things right?"

"Yeah! I dunno why I never thought of it like that. You like to cook too don't you?" Lily asked, smiling up at Luke with her piercing green eyes.

"Yes. Does that make me gay or something?" Luke laughed.

"Not at all. Not at all. So what you're saying is…Wait, what are you saying? I almost have it I think."

"Okay, stop stirring. You're sloshing the potion allover the sides of the cauldron. Each potion has to be stirred in just the right way. A thick potion like polyjuice, needs to be stirred vigorously. Whereas, a simple memory charm, like the one we're making, needs to be stirred steadily, with full circle strokes. Like this Lily," Luke put his hand down over Lily's and stirred with long, full circle strokes. When he felt that she understood what he was teaching, he let go and Lily continued to stir.

"Cool! I get it now. Thanks Luke. So are we done here then?" Lily asked. Luke smirked and picked up the cauldron and carried it to the sink. He dumped the potion out and then turned around to face Lily.

"You want to pass Potions right? We have to start over. You put all the ingredients in the wrong order. Remember lesson one, about the basil?" Lily frowned but nodded. "So look at your list of ingredients and figure out which ones are the base of the potions and then start with those. There's a logical way of adding ingredients and it depends on which potion you're making." Lily read through the list of ingredients again. The first time she brewed the potion, Luke watched her as she dumped ingredient after ingredient into the potion, without a care as to the order by which they were added to the bubbling brew.

"This one is the main ingredient, so this one is the base. Right?" Lily pointed with her finger and Luke nodded with a pleased look on his face. "Then this one?" Luke nodded again.

"You see. Potions isn't all that hard, is it?"

"Sure, I get it when you teach me. But when Professor Lynch starts talking I feel like he's speaking goblin, and it all goes right in one ear and out the other." Luke laughed and assured her that he would tutor her when needed. When Lily finished the potion, Luke dipped the ladle into the mixture and scooped out a cup of the frothy liquid.

"Now we test it. Bottoms up." Luke drank the potion. Lily repeated what Luke did and now both sat there staring at each other, waiting for the potion to kick in. The potion was a weak memory potion, that allowed a person to see into the other's mind for a minute only. Any skilled occulemens, could easily block such a potion's effects if they wanted to, so it wasn't dangerous and the effects were short lived. He wanted Lily to see the effects of the potion she had just spent an hour making. Luke thought it would boost her confidence to see the results of her labor.

When Luke closed his eyes, he was Lily, and he was flying solo over the Forbidden Forest. Her hair was flapping in the wind and she looked completely happy. Luke smiled at the vision he was seeing. For a moment, he too could feel what it was to live so carefree like Lily Potter did. Gone were his problems of Drew and the rape and the baby, and being chucked by his girlfriend. The potion's effects ended as abruptly as they began and Luke found himself back in the classroom. Lily was staring at him, with her hand over her mouth.

Luke gulped. It hadn't occurred to him what Lily might have seen in his memory. There were a lot of things he didn't want her or anyone else to see, that's for certain.

"What did you see Lily?" Luke asked nervously.

"Nothing really. You know, you're a good guy, Luke. You are. Hey, thanks for the lesson. Where did the time go?" Lily said staring out the window and seeing that it was evening now. They had worked straight through dinner.

"Lily, are you frightened of me?" Luke was afraid of what she may have seen.

"Luke, no. I'm really glad we became friends again. You know we used to play naked in the pool together as kids," Lily giggled and laid a comforting hand on Luke's shoulder. "So what do I have to do, to get a Prefect to escort me back to Gryffindor tower?" Lily said and Luke held his arm out to Lily and she took it. They strolled through the dark halls together and when they reached Gryffindor tower both stopped in the common room and held hands in front of their bodies. There was a moment when they both gazed into one another's eyes, and then Luke let go of her hands and wished her a good night. She blushed and turned towards the girls dormitories, looking back once just as Luke turned around and gazed back at her. They both turned quickly as not to let he other notice their stares.

"How could you do this to me Lily?" Drew said under her breath just as Lily plopped down on her four-poster bed and settled in for sleep.

"What? What did I do?" Lily said sitting up in her bunk.

"You know…I saw you with Luke. You know I still have feelings for him, and he's in love with me," Drew said back through sniffles.

"You were snogging Teddy Lupin today! Everybody saw you. You can't have it both ways Drew. Besides, Luke and I are just friends. He's real lonely Drew. You hurt him really bad. I can see it when I look at him."

"I hurt him? Hmmph!" Drew rolled over and ignored Lily and Lily turned over and wondered if she was doing something wrong by befriending Luke Malfoy.

.

.

"I brought Scorpius his dinner and I fed the baby," Hermione announced.

"Yeah, and? Going somewhere?" Draco snaked his arms around Hermione's waist and pulled her in. Stay here, with me. We can snuggle up by the fire and watch one of those muggle movies you are so keen on." Draco knew. He knew! He knew she had something to do with this Gauntlet. He could see it written allover her face. He didn't know the extent to which she was involved, but he knew nonetheless. He wanted her to choose him over her secret meetings with Potter, so he gave her every opportunity.

"That sounds divine, Draco. That really does. But, I promised Harry I'd look over his custody contract."

"Oh? I thought he and Ginny had all that worked out," Draco said, brushing his velvety lips over Hermione's neck.

"They do, for the most part. But Ginny's barrister drew up a new contract, just to cover emergencies and Harry wants me to look it over. Oh Draco, stop doing that to me, or I'll never leave."

"I'll give you a full body massage, and I'll even do that thing that you love for me to do. You know, with my tongue…" Draco whispered something in her ear and Hermione melted into his arms.

"Oh, Draco. Tomorrow night, okay, love? I'm sorry. I love you. You know that right?" Hermione said pleadingly. She hated lying to Draco and he was making it so hard for her.

"I know. You could stay though, and tell Harry you'll look over the contracts tomorrow?" Draco kissed her chin and her lips, his strong hands holding the base of her neck as he pressed his kiss into her. His tongue was swirling in her mouth as he tilted her head back, deepening his kiss. "I need you tonight Hermione. Don't go." Hermione finally pulled away and fanned herself.

"I'll be back as soon as I can Dragon," she said pulling on her coat. Draco watched her with his arms folded, disappointment and curiosity playing across his face.

"Sure, see ya then Sweetpea." He waited for her to leave, before throwing on his coat and plucking his sleeping daughter from her crib. He popped into Scorpius's room but didn't see the boy. He heard the shower running though so he closed the door tightly and left for The Manor where Blaise was sure to be waiting for him.

.

.

"Thank you for coming tonight. I regret that our last Gauntlet ended in the way that it did, but I assure you that the injured contestant is doing just fine and only a little worse for wear. I hope his accident didn't dissuade any of the brave wizards amongst us tonight from participating. We still have a very valuable…" Hermione chose her words carefully. The crowd was overflowing. Hermione and Harry had discussed not giving out names of the squibs they were helping anymore, because of the potential that auror's were in attendance tonight. Harry was prepared should a ruckus break out. He had set up his own brand of traps and wards just in case some auror's decided to raid. Hermione looked at Harry and then at the audience of masked and unmasked wizards and continued. "… package that needs delivery to America. Without further discussion, I bid all the participants good luck! May you conquer the Gauntlet!" Cheers rang out from the crowd of eager wizards.

Draco was dressed in black. He wore dragon hide boots and carried a cane, as if to make himself appear older then he was. He had cast disillusionment charms over himself, making his blond hair unnoticeable to any who stared. Blaise, stood at his side, his arms folded, watching the scene unfold. Oliver Wood was standing close to Draco, stretching and then dropping down on the ground to do pushups. Draco nearly laughed at the eager Gryffindor. None of the Gryffindors wore masks. It was as if they wanted to show their faces, to prove that they were loyal and courageous. Draco believed it was really so that they could take credit from the cheering crowds.

"Should be a good Gauntlet tonight, eh?" Draco nodded in response when Wood spoke to him. "I guess with the cane you shant be competing? No worries though, because I'm going to win this thing!" Draco reached forward to shake his hand, when both their attentions were turned to the voice of the master of ceremonies.

The Gauntlet began with a masked wizard attempting to run through the spikes and swinging pendulums. Draco watched with interest, his body involuntarily ducking when the wizard should have ducked and lurching upwards when the wizard should have leapt. After two minutes though, the wizard was smacked by one of the swinging pendulums and his run at the Gauntlet was over.

The next wizard to attempt it, did far better. He made it to the maze but then he forgot the spell to get rid of Bogart's and he succumbed to his worst nightmares. He had to be pulled out of the maze, by the master of ceremonies, his knees trembling and an embarrassed look on his face.

"Er, wish me luck my friend!" Wood turned to Draco and Blaise, before heading up to the platform where the gauntlet was erected. Draco bowed his head to Wood and then watched on as the Pro quidditch player, Oliver Wood, cracked his knuckles and readied his wand. Red light shot from the wand of the Mistress of ceremonies and Wood was off. He made it with ease, through the pendulums and he immediately hit the devils snare with a bolt of white light from his wand.

"Riddikulus!" Could be heard from the maze and then Wood was climbing the rope to the flying course. Draco found himself actually wanting Wood to fall, for some reason. He had just been so boastful and confidant, a quality he hated about Gryffindors. The flying course was made for Wood, as he traversed the flaming rings of fire, flying through them when needed and capturing the clues Harry set out for the contestants along the way. When he reached the end of the flying course the crowd cheered. He was making great time and all that remained now, was the hardest part of the Gauntlet.

The final leg of the treacherous Gauntlet, was a dark tunnel, that sealed itself once the competitor entered into it. The contestants received their clues in the flying portion of the gauntlet and now they were to use them. If they missed even one clue while flying through the hoops of fire, then they had little or no hopes of making it to the end of gauntlet. Wood found himself in a small enclosed room, with solid walls made of stone. He lit his wand's light and read the clues, shaking his head. When he couldn't figure them out, he started breaking walls down with a few quickspells. The crowd watched and waited as Wood disappeared inside the tunnel. Nobody could see what went on inside. Thirty minutes rolled by and Harry grew impatient. He turned to Hermione.

"Wood's agile and fast but not incredibly smart."

"Did you make the clues too hard?" Hermione asked.

"You be the judge. Harry handed Hermione a small scrap of parchment. She opened it and read the clue._ Spells or hexes, jinxes and fibs, braun alone won't free your squib."_

"Well this is too easy Harry!" Hermione noted. "Spells and hexes and jinxes are all the same but fibs, are different. So he has to tell a lie to the wall and it will open."

Harry clucked his tongue and gave Hermione a lopsided smile. "That's the hardest clue Hermione. I thought it was pretty easy when I made it up. I guess Wood is stuck. I should go help him out." Harry started down towards the last event of the gauntlet when Wood finally exited the tunnel with his hands in the air. The crowd cheered and Harry turned to Hermione and clapped. Hermione sighed and shook her head. His performance in the last part of the course was pathetic, but he was the only one who made it through the gauntlet tonight, so he would be declared the winner. Hermione slinked forward and raised his hand in the air, declaring him the winner of this weeks Gauntlet.

"Congratulations." She handed Wood a piece of parchment with instructions and he bowed to the masked Mistress of Ceremonies. Hermione put a charmed necklace around his neck with a medallion on the end of it. Wood held it up to the crowd and everyone clapped and cheered.

.

"So now what happens, Blaise?" Draco whispered to his friend and assistant.

"Now, he is given private instructions and then he escorts the squib and their family to America. None of this could have ever taken place without your law Draco. Now do you see why it's so important that you win reelection? This is what it's come to. Never doubt yourself or your conviction." Draco clapped Blaise on the back and thanked him for his kind words. He started off through the crowd. Witches and wizards were all enjoying food and drink and loud music. After every Gauntlet, a party was held and the family of those they were helping, were usually present. Draco stopped when he saw Theo Nott and his family, shaking hands with Wood. They were smiling and thanking the Seeker for accepting the job of getting them out of Britain. Draco suddenly felt small. His friend was having to leave the country, because he couldn't get the squib laws passed. This was all his fault, or so he thought. He approached Theo, but waited until the small crowd around the Nott's had cleared, before extending his hand to the man.

"Goodluck, in America. I promise that I'll bring you back though. It won't be this way forever here. Not if I have my way."

"Draco? Is that you?" Theo said looking closer at the masked man in black.

"Shhh, let's just say it's someone who cares, and thinks that Britain is your home and you shouldn't have to leave your home." He laid a hand on his shoulder, wished him and his family good luck and prosperity in America, and then Draco disappeared into the crowd.

"Join the party Hermione. I included butterbeer to the menu, because I know how you don't approve of alcohol being served at The Gauntlet's."

"No, no thanks Harry. I just want to go home. I passed up a wonderful night with my husband to be here. I think he was deeply hurt too," Hermione said spinning around when she felt something brush by her. She spun on her heels, to see a mysterious man in black, with a black diamond mask covering his face.When she looked at him she felt like a haze was over him, like she couldn't quite see him yet there he was right in front of her. He was leaning against a tree and watching the crowd from a distance. She didn't remember ever seeing this wizard at any of the Gauntlets before tonight. She made her way over to him and cleared her throat.

"Good Gauntlet tonight, wasn't it?" The man set his cane down against the tree and turned to face her. He nodded. "I guess with the cane and all you just came to watch." The man made no movement with his head this time, he just stared at Hermione and Hermione felt her cheeks flush with heat. Who was this mysterious man and why did Hermione feel so affected by his presence? She turned to leave, feeling uncomfortable, and the man stopped her by reaching for her hand. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of her hand, tenderly. He then brushed past her again and when Hermione turned, he was gone. She noticed his cane still propped against the tree and she took it into her hand, her heart beating wildly.

.

.

All was quiet in the Ravenclaw tower and Persephone had fallen asleep by the fire in the common room. She had tried to go to bed, but when she entered the girls' dormitory, a rather loud and descriptive conversation was going on, about none other then her husband. The girls were being vulgar and talking about the things they would do to Scorpius if he were their man. Some were plotting ways to get him to fall for them once he arrived back at Hogwarts. Disgusted, Persephone announced that they were talking about her husband and that they should stop, but they just laughed at her and called her La-Strange. She had eventually flopped down with a book and fallen off to sleep on the couch in the common room. Hours later she awoke, to hands around her waist. She bolted upright and lit a candle next to her.

"Scorpius!?" What on Earth…how did you get in here? Oh baby, I missed you!" She threw her arms around her husband. He was nestled up next to her. She kissed him, but worried when she noticed that he was barely kissing her back. "You shouldn't have left Serenity, baby. Oh my God, Scorpius! You're bleeding!" The injury on his leg had opened up and he was bleeding allover the purple couch in the common room.

"What did you do?" Persephone said, frantically tearing the fabric of his trousers in order to get a better look at his injury.

"I got your letter and I couldn't sleep without you, so I flew here on my broom."

"Oh, Scorpius, I love you so much. Wait…You are on meds baby! You can't be flying at night while on that potion. You're supposed to be in bed for another week."

"Yeah, I know. I crashed into the whomping willow by the college and had to walk the rest of the way. My broom was smashed to smithereens. I loved that broom."

"Never mind the bloody broom, we have to get you to the hospital wing!"

.

.

Hermione closed the door to Serenity ever so lightly, as not to wake Draco. She tiptoed through the foyer and into the kitchen where she lit a lantern.

"Harry's papers all good then?" Draco was sitting at the table, with a cup of coffee in his hand, glaring at her.

Review!?

Thanks to everyone who is reading and a special thanks to those also reviewing!! Your feedback is so valuable!


	6. My Sunshine

Broomsticks and the Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 6

"Draco, hi sweetie. I didn't see you there."

"You didn't answer my question. His custody all square now?"

"Yes and no. I'll probably have to help him next week too."

"Hermione…You're lying to me." Hermione threw her coat and purse down in frustration.

"Yes, Draco I'm lying to you. I'm sorry. I just can't tell you and it isn't because I don't want to. I do, very much so. I just can't." Hermione stood next to his chair and stroked her hand through his soft blond locks. She bent her head and kissed his forehead. Draco pushed the chair out and stood, taking her hands off him and pushing her away. He brushed past her and it was Hermione this time, that caught him by the wrist.

"Baby, let's make love. I'm so sorry. I'd have much rather spent the evening with you. You have to know that Draco."

"It's late and I have a headache Hermione." Draco sauntered down the hall towards the foyer and the staircase. Hermione stood gaping. Draco had never, in all the years of their marriage, denied her of lovemaking. Hell, he was usually the one who initiated it more often then not. True he wasn't yelling at her. He wasn't even saying anything wrong, but he was definitely giving her the cold shoulder. Hermione charged down the hall after him. He was halfway up the stairs already.

"Draco! Look at me." Draco turned around, but said nothing. Hermione had a raw look in her eyes. She reached around her back and unzipped her skirt, letting it fall to the floor, revealing a pair of black knickers and stockings with garter. Draco's hand clutched the marble banister tightly, to keep himself from lunging on his wife and taking her like he wanted to right then and there. Hermione unbuttoned her blouse and let it fall, revealing a black lace bra. Her hips swayed from side to side, while she traversed the large staircase, inching ever the closer to Draco. Draco gulped. He was history and he knew it. Hermione had a coy grin on her face, and her eyes were transfixed on Draco and the ever growing bulge in his pants. He was feasting his eyes on her enormous breasts, that were nearly bursting from the bra, motherhood clearly agreeing with her, as her bust was double the size that it normally was.

"I said, let's make love,Draco." Hermione whispered in a sultry tone, only two step beneath him now.

"And I said…Oh fuck. Who am I kidding! I don't remember what I said." Draco stepped down and Hermione stepped up, and both of them threw their arms around each other. Their bodies mashed together with ferocity. Draco's hands were groping her arse, while Hermione's hands clawed at his pants. Hermione shoved him against the wall, grabbing his wrists and pinning him to the wall while she ravaged his chest with her mouth. Draco forced his arms down against hers and pined her arms behind her back, his head bent and biting on the white skin of her breast. He leaned down over her and forced Hermione to the floor. Her back wrenched on the stairs, but she didn't care as she threw her legs around his waist. His one hand was perched on stair above Hermione as he tore her panties off and forced himself inside her. With a gasp, Hermione sucked in her breath at feeling his cock so deep inside her. He thrust into her and Hermione's body lurched upwards, the rug on the stair causing a burn on the small of her back. He pumped her harder and Hermione moaned his name. Their animalistic lovemaking continued, until Hermione felt Draco's body tremble over hers. She pushed her hips against him and all at once, they both released unto each other. Draco's tongue was deep in her mouth and Hermione shoved back, feeling the depth of their kiss as they came together. He moved off of her at their conclusion and collapsed on his hands and knees on the stairs.

"I don't think I can stand up," Hermione finally said once she caught her breath. Draco chuckled, but picked Hermione up and carried her to their bedroom. Not one word was said about where she was or what had just happened on the stairs. Draco flipped her over and with his wand, he healed the bruises and rug burns on her back and hips and then covered her up, before slipping into bed next to her and falling asleep.

.

.

"Uncle Draco, wake up!" Draco rubbed his eyes and sat up in bed to find little Jessie sitting on his chest and bouncing up and down.

"What's the matter Jessie? You don't have to go potty do you, 'cause the bathroom is that way?"

"Can you show me magic? Mummy lost her wand and she used to show me magic." Jessie was holding Draco's wand in her hands. He had left it where he always did, on the bedside table. Draco plucked the girl off his chest and laid her in between him and Hermione. Hermione mumbled in her sleep and then turned over on her side.

"It's too early Jessie. Go back to sleep and I'll show you magic in the morning."

"But Uncle Draco, I always get up at this time. Mummy says it's the best time to see snarfblatts. Can you take me to see them?"

"Jessie, I can't see snarfblatts, so I can't take you to see them. Perhaps your Mummy should show you where they hide."

"They don't hide! They come out when the sun rises. They dance in the morning dew. Please Uncle Draco!"

"Jessie…" Draco sat up and opened his eyes and he could see the excitement in the four year olds eyes. He reluctantly threw a shirt on and lifted the eager girl into his arms.

"Alright, show me the snarfblatts in the grass and then we both need to get more sleep."

The sun had just started to peak over the rolling hills of the countryside. The grounds of Serenity were large and natural, unlike the finely manicured grounds at the Manor. Draco loved the pristine beauty of the land, so he kept it virtually the way it was when they bought the place. He trudged merrily along down the hill, with Jessie riding piggyback, and stopping every so often asking the small girl if she saw a snarfblatt yet. The little girl kept telling him to go just a little bit farther and Draco, being the sucker for a cute little girl, obeyed her wishes.

"Uncle Draco, can you sing to me?"

"I don't sing Jessie," Draco replied.

"Mummy sings to me when I'm sad."

"But you aren't sad right now. You're happy about all the snarfblatts we are going to see, remember?"

"I'm a little sad. Mummy wasn't in her bed this morning. I think she came to see the snarblatts. Uncle Draco?"

"Yes, Jessie."

"Did my Mummy kill my Daddy? Pierre said we were on the run because Mummy killed my Daddy? What's on the run mean, Uncle Draco?" The little girl fired off, in rapid succession, a series of questions that Draco neither had answers for, nor relished answering even if he did have answers for.

"What song do you want me to sing Jessie?"

"Do you know the Purple Spotted Slaghorned Skrewt?"

"No."

"Okay Uncle Draco," the little girl sounded like she might cry, so Draco looked at the orange ball on the horizon, that was the rising sun, and sang the first song that came to his mind.

_You are my sunshine, my only sunshine_

_You make me happy, when skies are grey_

_You'll never know just, how much I love you…_

_Please don't take my sunshine away_

The little girl hugged Draco around the neck and kissed him on the cheek.

"I love you too Uncle Draco. I wish I had a Daddy that loved me. My Daddy was sham of me." At hearing that Draco nearly broke down in tears. He knew she was trying to say that Jean Paul was ashamed of her, and the fact that this beautiful little girl had never known the love of a father, and believed that it was because of something she did, infuriated Draco. He set the girl down in the grass and stooped to meet her eyes.

"You listen to your Uncle Draco. You are a perfect little girl in every way. You are smart and funny and cute and loving. Your father had nothing to be ashamed of you about. Do you understand me, Jessie? I love you and your Mummy loves you and Auntie Hermione loves you. We all love you. Anyone who tells you differently, are bad people, and you are not to talk to them. You run away and tell your Uncle Draco. Do you understand Jessie?"

"Yes Uncle Draco. I understand." Draco picked the girl up into his arms and was about to turn back towards the house again, when he heard laughing coming from the stream on the south grounds. He stepped around a clump of trees and there sitting on a large rock, with the morning sun shining down upon them, was Blaise Zabini and Luna Lovegood. They were leaning back on the rock and kissing. Jessie giggled at seeing this.

"Yuck, kissing. Uncle Draco, why is that man kissing my Mummy?" Draco smirked, and Blaise, who saw Draco and the child out of the corner of his eye, pulled back and smoothed his hair and jacket.

"Have you been here all night, Blaise?"

"Uhhh, Draco! Morning to you too. Yeah after we apparrated back here last night I was leaving when I ran into Luna."

"He was helping me count the River Ragnaughts."

"Oh? How many did you count Blaise?" Draco said setting Jessie down. The little girl ran to her mother and plopped down in her lap, while Luna stroked her hair.

"Three or four,"Blaise said stammering. He shot Draco a look that told him to shut up.

"You saw that many? I only counted just the one, but I didn't see it. I knew it was there though, because while we were kissing I felt it squeeze my bottom. It must have crawled up on this rock," Luna said innocently. Draco shook his head at Blaise, while Blaise feigned innocence.

"That might have been my hand Luna. I'm sorry." Blaise blushed and Draco laughed aloud at seeing his friend so off balance. Had he actually just apologized for groping her arse? This was a first.

"Oh," Luna said blushing too. "You don't have to apologize, I rather liked it." At that, Draco called Jessie and told Luna and Blaise to join them for breakfast on the terrace. It was a warm day in late February and in England, you always take full advantage of warm days.

When he arrived back at the house, he crept into his daughter, Jillian's room and picked up the sleeping infant.

"I love you Jilly. Have I told you what a sweet baby you are? How good you are for Mummy and Daddy." Draco shuddered and the baby woke up when a flash from a camera temporarily blinded him. When the rather large purple spots before his eyes faded, he saw Hermione grinning at him, waving a moving picture between her fingers.

"That is what muggles refer to as a Kodak moment," Hermione giggled. Draco looked at her, clueless of her muggle talk and rocked his daughter back to sleep. Hermione opened the door to Scorpius's room, to ask him what he preferred for breakfast. She was astonished to find that he wasn't there.

"Draco! Scorpius is gone!" Hermione's shouts were loud enough to wake the dead.

.

.

Persephone was bouncing on air the next morning. She had managed to get Scorpius to the hospital wing, late last night. The mediwitch, reiterated that Scorpius should not have been flying last night with his injured leg, but that he could recover in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. When Persephone suggested that he be moved back home, the mediwitch snapped at her and asked her if she had a degree in healing magic? He had reinjured the leg and now he was prescribed strict bed rest. Scorpius was agitated when the healer refused to give him the pain relieving potion. She said it was addicting and that he would just have to rough it. Scorpius had cursed at her under his breath and moaned and complained, but eventually fell asleep. As Persephone pushed the door to the hospital wing open, she found something she never expected to find. The wing was overcrowded and noisy. Scorpius was sitting up in bed with a multitude of students and even a Professor hovering over him. Some had scraps of parchment and were asking for his autograph, while others clamored over him, just wanting to be close to him.

Persephone pushed her way through the crowd, but was rudely knocked backwards by a girl with long dark hair and a uniform that was so tight it looked like she had been poured into it. Her shirt looked like a baby shirt the way the buttons were ready to pop, releasing her great mountains of cleavage for all to see. Her skirt was no better. It barely came to her upper thighs. The elastic waistband was rolled down, exposing several inches of her flat stomach, below her belly button!

"Get in line La-Strange!" Violetta Longbotom said, as Persephone fell on her arse. Before she had a chance to rise and attack the bitch, she found herself being trampled upon. She smacked peoples ankles and then finally found her feet again, only to realize that she was now crying like a sissy girl. Embarrassed and pissed off, she left the hospital wing, but not before screaming out to her husband.

"I see your fan club is here, so I'll just come back later, Scorpius!" She thought she heard a response but she didn't wait around to find out what he said, so she left, raging mad and feeling like a half person.

.

.

"Luke!" Luke was making for the library when he heard her voice calling out to him. His heart sped up and goose bumps shot down his arms as he turned slowly to see Drew Weasley standing behind him. "I need a word. Do you have a second?" Luke nodded in nonchalant fashion, not wanting to seem too eager, yet inside he was anxious and nervous.

"I didn't know we were speaking?"

"Don't be smart, Luke. Molly sent me a letter." Drew waved a piece of parchment in her hands in front of Luke's face.

"What's the meaning of this? Why are you trying to take Artie away?" Drew waived a summons to appear in court in front of Luke's face. Hermione had obviously filed a petition on Luke's behalf, asking for joint custody of the baby.

"Oh, it's Artie now is it? And, I thought twenty minutes a week wasn't enough time to bond with the baby." He chose his words carefully, never actually saying the words 'his son' but rather referring to Drew's child as 'the baby'. It wasn't that he didn't love the baby, because he did. He had formed a bond with little Artie, and if he were the true father to he boy, like Drew thought he was, twenty minutes of time a week would not be nearly enough time for a father to spend with his son. However, in this instance, he had asked Hermione to file the court briefs with the Ministry out of pure revenge. Her words, saying her new boyfriend was better then him in every way, still stung, and Luke wasn't one to forget the wrongs done to him with ease. Gryffindor he may be, but there was still at least a portion of inner Slytherin hidden deep inside him. It hadn't been an easy placement for the hat in sorting Luke. The hat had struggled to make up its mind of where to put him. The hat sat on his head for ten minutes before the old hat finally mumbled, Gryffindor, as if for the first time, it wasn't sure of itself one way or the other. What made the situation all the worse for Luke, was the fact that none of the teachers or staff were surprised that it took the hat so long to sort Luke. This bothered Luke and made him feel different right from the start. That's when he started learning about his mother and father. Luke had a rap sheet of Draco's stored in his trunk that was a mile long. If Dumbledore or McGonagall or Snape had written it down, then Luke knew about it. He was shocked at some of the things he read about his parents.

He looked at Drew in the eyes, his conviction evident, and then turned away.

"Luke, wait. How about we start over?" At this Luke turned back around with hope blossoming on his face.

"What do you mean start over?"

"I mean, start over, start over. Be my boyfriend again?" Luke's heart stopped. It literally thudded and stopped. He was sure it had stopped. Hell froze over and pigs sprouted wings and flew.  
"What about Teddy Lupin? You know, the guy who is better then me in every way." Luke caught site of Lily standing a few lengths behind Drew. She nodded a resounding no to Luke, but Luke dismissed the girls warning.

"You know I didn't mean that. I was just hurt. Teddy…well…it isn't going to work out for us. He isn't ready for a girl with a baby." Drew didn't say that she wanted to get back together with Luke because she loved him. She just said Teddy didn't want a baby at his age. Luke didn't care though. He had dreamed of holding her in his arms for months, so he dropped his bag on the floor and opened his arms and Drew sunk her head into his chest. His mouth came down over hers and the love that he felt for Drew swallowed him up. Lily was nodding and shaking her head, not at all pleased by this development. She thought Drew was using Luke to get him to back off from the custody case, but only time would tell.

.

.

"So what did you find out for me about Raspodin's figures on the squib numbers?" Draco said under his breath to Blaise, as they sat facing each other in the library.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear Draco, but the numbers are accurate. I cross matched all the names of registered squibs with their health records at St. Mungo's. I still have Prunella sifting through all the paperwork, but preliminary results are accurate. Raspodin didn't make that figure up Draco. One in five witches and wizards born today are squibs. Astounding I know. I believed you were right in your assumption that he was fudging the statistics in order to support his campaign. It isn't the case though."

"Blaise? How did you get a hold of the records at St. Mungo's, or dare I ask?" Draco smirked.

"I have my ways. There is a very nice healer that works the night shift in the records department of the hospital."

"And? Did you shag her on her desk?" Draco was laughing under his breath. He knew his friend.

"No, nothing like that. I'm appalled, Draco. Okay, I did take her out for coffee and sweet talked her a bit, but that's only because I'm dedicated to your campaign. You should give me a raise for the lengths I go too."

"Ah yes, I'm betting she has long legs and long blonde hair too? But your right, give yourself a raise. You did good on this one. For once, I'm proud that you're a slut."

Blaise cleared his throat and turned his eyes down. Draco looked down to find Jessie staring at him.

"What's a slut?"

"That is word you will never say again. Do you understand Jessie?" The girl nodded and Luna swept into the library, apologizing for interrupting their meeting. Draco caught the longing stares between Blaise and his sister as he leaned back in his chair, assessing his friends intentions.

When Luna left Draco was deep in thought.

"What are you thinking? You scare me when you get that look."

"Blaise…What are you doing with my sister?"

"I didn't shag her, if that's what you mean."

"Good to know, because I'd have to kill you if you did. You understand right?" Blaise loosened his collar and fidgeted nervously in his chair.

"Draco, I like her. We kind of have something going. I want your blessing, but I won't stop seeing her even if you tell me I have to."

"Blaise, I was just kidding about that," Draco chuckled.

"Foul git you are. You know that? You had me scared. I remember what your wrath is like, remember?"

"Water under the bridge, Blaise. Though, it surprises me that you would sit here and tell me that you will date Luna with or without my approval. Why?"

"I don't know why, maybe I'm nutters. I just like her and I feel protective over her and her kids. I can't explain it. I mean, we talked and kissed and talked some more and kissed and I can't explain it Draco. She touched me in a way no other woman has before. I think I'm bloody falling in love. Now you can Cruicio me." Draco smiled at his blushing friend. That had to have been hard for Blaise admit feelings for a woman to Draco. He really was lost and hopeless.

"Look Blaise, Luna is in quite a spot of trouble. She can't stay here forever. Eventually she is going to have to leave the country. She has quite the baggage too. Believe me when I say that I would love to see you fall in love and settle down, but I'm not sure Luna is the right match for you. She's in danger."

"I know. I want to help." Draco stared into his eyes and found honesty.

"Okay. Well, it won't be long before the French Ministry and our Ministry come looking for her here. We need to get her out of here. Have any ideas?"

"The Gauntlet?" Blaise offered.

"Yes, my wife's little pet project." Draco said sipping his coffee. Blaise was taken a back though.

"Your wife? What does Hermione have to do with it?"

"Oh… Everything," Draco said instantly.

"Draco, do you know what this means? You could be tried for high crimes against the Ministry. The trail from Hermione to you is wire thin, Draco. You will be convicted of treason and sentenced to death in Azkaban!"

Review!?

Thought I would answer a few of the reviews. I think this is the way authors do it so here goes.

GiggleGirl89-Nope, I won't ever write another cheating scene between Draco and Hermione. Doesn't mean I won't put them in sticky situations though. Lol

Primmy- Thank you so much! I am hooked on writing them, but this should be the last in the series. I could do one more when Jillian is older and if I did it would assuredly be the last in the series. I had intended this one to be the last Broomsticks story but now with Jillian's arrival it doesn't seem complete not to include her lovelife in a story too. I never actually know what is going to happen in my stories until I sit down to write it. I'm a fly by the seat of my pants writer lol It's what motivates me to write so much, because I want to find out what happens too. lol I dunno, I guess I have this inner muse that only comes out to play when I sit down to write. Because I don't know what will happen until I start writing it, and I never get blocked. (Yet anyways lol)

Marci16- Glad you are enjoying it!

Heather- I am so glad you loved Dark Fire. That fic was so much fun to write. I can't tell you when I will write the continuation, but it is an idea I have played with ever since I wrote the story. I kind of always thought I'd come back and write more with those characters. I would need to reread the story first though, to get a feel for the characters again. I wrote that's story a year a ago, so its been a while. Thanks!

Geaustiger06-Yes, true a contraception potion does not guarantee STD's. If STD's were a worry in the world of my stories, all my characters would be getting tested LOL I generally try not to enforce my own moral beliefs on readers though. The story is the story and people can make up their own minds about premarital sex. Example: Draco in this story is clearly a democrat, but in real life I am a Republican…I could have written Draco more conservative, but I didn't think the story called for it, and I always try to separate myself from the characters I write for, because my own personal beliefs have nothing to do with what my characters thoughts are. He was raised too conservatively and he needed to grow and change. So yes, your point is valid and sooooo true, but I'm not here to teach. I'm here to entertain.I'll leave the moral issues to parents and teachers and clergy. My characters have a LOT of sex and they don't get STD's. lol

Snapefan- I love your reviews, they always make me smile!

Ancient and Forever- LOL your reviews are always witty, helpful and great!

Toro320- You are closer then you think! Nice pick up of clues. You are thinking like me ;)

Jen Hoffman- Thanks for all your support. You have truly been awesome to me!(don't stop lol Your encouragement and kind words have not gone unnoticed. Thank you, from one Jen to another hehe)

Windskii- I think you will see a Hermione/Sapphire moment for sure later on in the story :P Thanks for always leaving me thought provoking and encouraging reviews!

Angelica- Thank you! So glad you are enjoying! I aim to please!

Swfap88- You are such a faithful reviewer, I am honored!

Keepress-I LOVE finding out I have new readers and that they are enjoying the series! Thank you, thank you!

Ebbe04- thank you and I think you will like how this fic plays out 

Thanks to everyone, keep reviewing!


	7. Like Father like Daughter

Broomsticks and the Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 7

"Now I don't want you being friends with Lily Potter anymore Luke."

"What? You can't tell me who I can be friends with Drew."

"She wants you, I just know she does. Girls can tell these things. It's me or Lily, Luke. You choose." Luke sat with his arm around Drew in the Gryffindor common room. Lily entered through the porthole with two other Gryffindor girls and the two made eye contact. Lily approached the pair and returned the icy look Drew was giving her.

"Luke, I have a big potions test coming up and I'd hoped you could help me prepare."

"Yeah, of course Lily." Drew punched Luke in the arm and stared at him, her brow furrowed in anger. "I mean, I'm sorry Lily. Chester Burroughs, the other prefect, can tutor you. I'll fill him on what you already know." Luke couldn't even look at Lily, he was so ashamed of himself. He felt sick to his stomach by the way Drew had played him like a fiddle. It wasn't just the Lily thing either. Already she had told Luke that he had to walk her to her classes, and that he should kiss her outside every class, so everybody knew they were dating. He also had to eat lunch with her, and if any boys asked him, he should tell them that she was a good kisser. She seemed so worried about appearances and more then once she had forcibly grabbed Luke and kissed him in the hall when Teddy Lupin strode by them. Luke could see the heart wrenching look on Teddy's face and he sympathized with him, seeing as he had once been on the receiving end of being dumped. This just was not the Drew he knew in America. She seemed insecure and was trying to make up for it by being controlling. He tolerated the strange behavior, but telling him he couldn't be friends with Lily, was almost the straw that broke the camel's back. He intended to apologize to Lily later, if he could ever shake Drew and find some time to sneak away.

.

.

Scorpius listened to the howler from Hermione. She was furious that he left Serenity and came back to school. Persephone walked into the hospital wing at the end of the howler and smiled wickedly upon hearing Hermione chastising him. She stood at the end of his bed and glared at Scorpius.

"Have fun with your fans?"

"Persephone! Why did you leave earlier? I would have kicked everyone out to be alone with you."

"Oh, who am I to come between a man and his fans? Besides, Violetta Longbottom looked positively slutty and I didn't want to deprive you of a good stare." Scorpius reached out and yanked Sapphire's hand down, the girl falling onto the bed. He wrapped his arms around her and drove his tongue into her mouth.

"What's up with you today, you feisty little witch." Persephone struggled against him but relented finally when Scorpius pinned her down underneath him. She was a petite girl and Scorpius was built, so she didn't stand a chance of getting away from his clutches and honestly, she didn't want to. She wanted to be exactly where she was, in her husbands arms.

"Oh, just that all the girls in this school want to pleasure you. I heard one girl at lunch saying that she wanted to lure you into a shower and lock you in until you gave up and screwed her! Another girl was talking about spiking your pumpkin juice with a love potion and one dude said that he would be gay for a day to be with you! I imagine he's gay everyday, but its insanity, Scorpius!" Scorpius laughed and tickled her, but Persephone was not amused and she was miffed that he wasn't taking her seriously.

"What was the name of the shower girl? I rather like the sound of that. Sounds kinky!" Scorpius laughed again but Persephone's hand shot up between his legs and she grabbed his balls in her hand and threatened to squeeze if he didn't take it back.

"Kidding, baby, kidding! Merlin, your wound tight today. I think I need to give you something big between your legs to make you relax."

"Sex? If I don't give in, are you going to cheat on me with that Longbotom girl?"

Scorpius might have taken it as a joke but Persephone was totally serious. She worried now, with his increased fame if Scorpius expected her to start acting like the lovesick fangirly's that wanted to have his first born child and would stop at nothing to get it.

"You're being ridiculous. Do you think I want any of those girls, when I have someone like you to love me? Violetta was someone I used a long time ago. I wasn't very nice to her either, so I'm not going to be mean to her now. I'd like to think that I've learned a thing or two since I left here the first time."

"Yeah, what did you learn, and where do I fit into the puzzle, because I'm not seeing it Scorpius. I feel like a disease at this school. I hate it!"

"Babe, try to relax. When I get out of here and start classes again, I'll make sure everyone knows that you are my wife and that I love you and only you. I love you my precious little Sapphire." With that, Scorpius tenderly kissed her lips. He pulled away and began to sing to Persephone, the song that he wrote for her. His voice was soft and loving as he stroked her hair, stopping to kiss her cheek and her nose and her chin and then continuing his song. Midway through the song, as Persephone gazed into his eyes she began to cry tears of joy. Scorpius leaned up and drew the curtain around his bed. The healer was taking lunch and they were alone in the hospital wing. Scorpius caressed her thighs and then slipped his hand under her panties where he slid a finger inside her. She moaned and slid her hand down his pajama bottoms.

"I love you Scorpius. I love you so much, I need you." Persephone pulled his bottoms down and moved over him. She straddled her husband and stroked her man with her small fingers. He closed his eyes and moaned and suddenly she was struck with a similar image. Mr. Malfoy looked just like Scorpius! It wasn't Draco she was hot for, it was Scorpius. She had been so tormented over his fame and how to deal with it, that she must have transferred her feelings of abandonment and lack of worth onto someone who didn't make her feel that way….Mr. Malfoy. She smiled at thinking that she wasn't really a pervert, thinking about sleeping with a man that was old enough to be her father. She moved over Scorpius and took him inside her. He opened his eyes in his surprise, but smiled and reached for her hips. His fingers were caressing her breasts as she rode him slow and deep. He pulled her down over him, held her in his arms tightly as she rode him, lovingly and expertly. Their bodies became one as Scorpius bucked upwards and she forced herself down over him. They came in quiet tenderness and Persephone just lay there for the longest time, not wanting to feel the loss when he pulled out.

"I love you so much Sapphire. You're the reason for all of it. That's how you fit in to my world." Scorpius fell asleep holding her. She was already late for her class, so she tried to slip out of bed, when something dropped out onto the floor from under his pillow. She picked it up and examined it. It was a bottle of pain relieving potion, the same potion the mediwitch refused to give him. She reluctantly put it back under his pillow, unsure as to how she should confront him. He had just showed her such love and tenderness that she didn't want to ruin the moment by asking where he got the illegal potion. On second thought, Scorpius loved her the way she was, and the way she was…was somebody that would confront him. Later though. She took the potion and stuffed it into her bag. She would give it back to him later when he woke up, if he could prove that it was given to him by a healer. He would respect her for that….she thought.

.

.

"So if she is the Mistress of Ceremonies…then…Who is the Master of ceremonies?" Blaise asked.

"Think about it. Who else thinks he has to save the bloody world?"

"Potter." Blaise said dryly.

"None other. Still, what he did rescuing Nott and his family and taking them to a hide out takes guts. He took on four auror's if the Prophet's reporting was accurate."

"Draco, as noble as it is you have to put an end to it. You will fry for this. The auror's will raid soon enough and when they do, you don't want your wife anywhere near that place! They will automatically assume you are behind it and you'll be kissing dementor's in a rotting, stinking cell! Aren't you pissed that Hermione did this?" Draco thought for a moment before answering.

"No. She's a Gryffindor, remember? They don't think like we do. They jump in head first, to any noble cause they find redeemable. I'm sure she's aware though that I could get into trouble and she probably has a plan should something like a raid take place. You see, she's trying to protect me, by not telling me about The Gauntlet. It's sweet actually, even if it is sneaky and goes against every word we vowed to abide by when we married. Her cause is noble though. How can I get mad at my wife for caring about the same issues I do? Jessie told me today that she wants a Daddy to love her. The child thinks being a squib means that she isn't worthy of being loved. If that isn't reason enough to change the fucking squib laws, I don't know what is!" Draco's voice rose as the anger began to boil inside him once again at the thought of his precious niece feeling less then equal.

"She actually said that? That's heart breaking. I should go play with her." Draco smiled at Blaise and shook his head. No matter how often he saw the way Blaise melted over Luna and her kids he still couldn't quite believe his eyes and ears. "Oh, is there anything else, or can I go sir?" Blaise chuckled.

"I'm writing to Prunella to tell her to provide me a graph. I want to know when the rise in squib births rose sharply. I'm still convinced that something isn't right here."

"How come you're asking Prunella and not me?" Blaise said with a worried tone to his voice.

"Oh stop worrying. Your job is safe Zabini. Go fall in love with my sister and her kids already. I can't take looking at your sappy face anymore. Go on, get, ya git! And close the door behind you. I have some work to do." Blaise smiled and left Draco to his business. Draco tapped his fingers, deep in thought. He finished the letter to his secretary,Prunella, and then left for the Ministry. There were some facts he wanted to check out. For one, he wanted to find out everything there was to know about Jean Paul LaRoche.

.

.

Hermione sat her desk at the Ministry and scrawled a quick note to Draco. It simply said _I love you. _She had reasons for writing it, but she didn't want to think about the what if's. Harry would be there shortly and they were helping Wood get the Nott's out of Britain safely. Harry had a bad feeling that Wood just wasn't up to the task, all by his lonesome. She folded the letter to Draco and sealed it.

"Hey,'Mione, ready to go to lunch?" Harry said loudly so everyone in earshot could hear where they were going. He winked at Hermione with a smile that only she could see.

"Yeah, just let me grab my coat."

"Okay but we should get going. Our table will be waiting, and I don't know how long they will hold it." Hermione hurriedly left with Harry, forgetting to send the letter to Draco. It was propped up neatly on her desk, addressed to Draco.

Hermione got on Harry's broom and held on for dear life. She hated flying, that hadn't changed. She had relaxed a bit over the years, but flying with Harry was not like flying with Draco. Every flyer had their own way of maneuvering turns and she was used to the way Draco always told her when he was going to turn or dive. Harry flew freely though, letting the wind take him the way it wanted to, and he never warned her when he was going to dive. It was quite a harrowing experience for Hermione, on the back of Harry's broom.

"Honestly Harry, can't you control the broom better?"

"You mean, fly slower, like Draco?" Harry smirked.

"No. Draco does not fly slow! He flies more sensibly then you though! I swear to gods, I'm not getting on your broom again."

"Yeah, yeah, you said that last time. Look, come on, we need to hurry,"Harry said landing the broom at long last.

"Do you think its necessary to do this? I mean won't Wood take it badly that we are following them on route?"

"Did you watch any quidditch last year?" Harry asked.

"No. What does quidditch have to do with anything? Honestly, all you boys think about is quidditch."

"Don't let Scorpius hear you say that. If you had watched any quidditch, you would have known that Wood took one too many bludgers to the head last season. I'm not sure he still has all of his faculties about him. You saw how long it took him to get through the last part of the gauntlet. I won't do our clients a disservice. Every client is as important as the first, and safety is the number one importance." Harry said stopping short. Hermione ran into him and crushed his foot in the process. "Ow!"

"Well tell me when you are going to stop!" Hermione shot back at Harry. The more she had to lie to Draco, the fouler her mood became. She hated lying to him. Hated it! She was starting to resent Harry, for no reason. He sensed it too and shut his mouth.

"Come on 'Mione, I'm sorry you stepped on my foot," Harry said sarcastically and Hermione groaned and kept walking.

They were in the Forbidden Forest outside DPU. Harry thought it the perfect place to start the first and hardest leg of their journey. They had to get to the shore and then the Nott's and Wood had to take a portkey. The only trouble was, was that the auror's were monitoring portkey's from the shore. They would have to be fast, that's all there was too it.

"Best disillusion yourself 'Mione. We can't risk the auror's finding out who we are."

"Yeah, good thinking." For a brief moment, she thought about the man in black. The man with the cane, that kissed her hand so tenderly. He too must have had a disillusion charm cast upon himself, because she couldn't remember what he looked like no matter how hard she tried.

When they reached Wood and the Nott family, they were huddled by a dead log in the heart of the Forbidden Forrest. Nott was visibly upset, though he didn't squabble with Harry or Hermione. He was merely worried about his kids being eaten by giant tarantulas or centaurs and wanted to get a move on.

"Okay, so Wood will be escorting you to America, but we will be overseeing your departure from Britain. It could get dicey, so I want everyone to move silently and quickly. Hold hands and don't let go. When we reach the portkey, you will be transported to Bermuda, where Wood has been given the details of where the next portkey is. From there, its onto Florida, where a wizarding family is already exchanging currency for you at the wizards bank. You will be able to live in style too. Hermione here was able to get you your green cards."

"What's a green card?" Nott said it with the emphasis on the card, not on the green. Harry didn't have the time to explain to him, that he would be living a muggle existence in America, at least until the manhunt was called off on the Nott family in Britain.

"It lets you seek employment in America. You need one to work. So here they are, and here is the address of your host wizarding family, should you get separated form Wood for any reason, you will know where to go." Harry looked at Wood and shook his head. He normally didn't give the families he helped escape, the address of their new place, but for some reason, Oliver Wood just scared him a bit. Those clues were bloody easy, Harry kept muttering to himself. Any moron could have figured them out.

"Hermione, this is going to be hairy. Stay out of my way. I don't want you going down when the wand fight commences. These auror's aren't playing games."

"Been through worse Harry. I think I can manage," Hermione spat. Harry stepped through the thick vines until they came upon a Campbell's soup can, chicken noodle to be exact. Harry was fond of Campbell's since his divorce, especially on a cold winter's day and also because he hated cooking. Cooking gave him memories of his years with the Dursley's and how he was forced to serve those beached whales, Dudley and Vernon Dursley, while Aunt Petunia screeched at him to hurry up. Nott looked up at Wood and then Harry and Hermione in a state of confusion.

"What is it?" Wood said.

"What ya mean, what is it? It's a bloody soup can! It's a portkey, Wood. Did you put the next portkey where I told you? On the grass behind the elm tree, next to the bench?"

"'Er, that's not what you said Potter. You said to put it on the beach!" Wood exclaimed with indignance.

"Wasn't it a shell Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, it was a bloody shell. Why would I ask you to put a portkey that was made out of a conch shell on a bloody beach, with thousands of shells! We have to abort Hermione. Wood, you're fired."

"You can't fire me! I won and the witch in Bermuda won't be looking for anyone else but me!"

"He's right Harry. The wizarding family is Florida expects Wood too. We can't abort Harry. You know the risk of the Nott's staying here. We'll find it Harry. You hold off the auror's and I'll find the shell. Wood, you protect the Nott's."

"I don't mean to complain, but all of this indecision is making my wife and kids nervous," Theo Nott said with a worrisome expression.

"It's fine Theodore. This is Harry Potter," Hermione falsely boasted." He defeated Voldemort, remember?" Harry gave her a scathing look. He hated when people brought that up and he knew Hermione was stretching the truth, in order to ease his mind.

They left by portkey at that and immediately there were figures popping in all around them. Hermione ran with Wood and the Nott's towards the beach, where she began her frantic search for the purple and pink conch shell.

"Do you remember where you put it Oliver?" Hermione shouted as the family ducked low, bolts of red wand light shooting from Harry's wand. Harry was fighting the auror's off with some damned impressive magic. Hermione had never seen her friend fight so hard. He had five auror's on him and he had successfully drawn attention away from Nott and his family, by creating a mountain sized diversion of light. It was a spectacle and auror's were surrounding Harry.

.

.

Draco looked at the file on Jean Paul. He had nothing, nada, bupkis! There was nothing in his file that would suggest enemies that may have wanted to kill him. Nothing in the file that could clear Luna. He slammed it down on his desk at the MInistry, when something caught his eye. He picked the file back up and saw the words, Ancients Apothecary. Draco read on. Jean Paul was co founder of Draco's biggest competition in Potions. They had been neck in neck for the past year, with Draco's company only just being edged out by Ancient's Apothecary. He filed this tidbit of information in the back of mind, and set off for Hermione's office. He would take her lunch, he decided. He wanted to mention the Gauntlet and see what her reaction was. He had to play it close to the vest though, because he wasn't sure how to proceed in this situation. He worried for his wife's safety first and foremost, but he also did agree with what she was doing, so he could hardly fault her. He felt proud that his wife, with the help of Harry Potter, had thought up such an ingenious plan to free squibs. Yet as Minister of Magic, he couldn't very well condone such actions, or he would be guilty. The mere fact that he knew about it now and hadn't turned Hermione in for her crimes against the Ministry, made him an accessory to the fact. He was guilty, any way you cut it. Therefore, for this reason he decided he must discuss it with her.

"Can you tell Hermione that I'm, here to take her to lunch, Zelda?" Draco said to the secretary. "On second thought. I'll tell her myself, thanks anyways."

"Sir!" Zelda called from behind him. Draco continued to her desk where he immediately saw the letter addressed to him. He tucked the sealed envelope into his breast pocket and headed back out towards the reception area.

"Sir, I tried to tell you that Hermione is already gone to lunch, with Harry Potter." Draco tore open the letter at that. He read the words, I love you, written in Hermione's handwriting, and he started to seriously worry.

.

.

"Lily, wait up!" Luke ran ahead in the dungeon. Lily was just leaving the Potions classroom with the other prefect Chester Burroughs who had filled inf or him with the tutoring session. Luke nodded to the boy and then stopped in front of Lily. She was not smiling at him.

"I'm in a bit of a hurry Luke."

"For what? You don't have anymore classes today."

"Yeah, I dunno. I'm just in a hurry and we wouldn't want Drew to see you talking to me, now would we?" Luke gulped. Girls could be down right scary sometimes! Make one happy, and another is mad, he thought to himself.

"I wanted to let you know that I'm not going to listen to Drew. I mean, I want to be your friend still, if you still do?" Lily smiled at that. Her green eyes were sparkling again and Luke felt warm allover.

"You wanna go flying? Nice day."

"Yeah, sure, but I thought you had something to do?" Luke smirked.

"You git, come on. I know a great place where we can go to talk after an exhilarating broom ride."

Luke hid from Drew behind corners and down corridors while Lily laughed at his antics. He _was _trying to make her laugh, but he was also serious. He wasn't ready to face Drew's wrath. They made their way outside and almost immediately, it was apparent that Lily was an excellent flyer like her father. She was also wild and crazy on the broom, much like Harry too. Luke kept up with her and they were having a marvelous time, playing chicken with the whomping willow by the college and just fucking around, like kids do. Lily finally pulled up and landed atop the castle. She sat down on the roof and Luke followed suit.

"Where are we? I mean, which part of the castle is this?" Luke asked. Lily smiled deviously at this.

"What? What's so funny?" he asked. Lily laughed again and then banged her foot on the stone roof as hard as she could. Luke started to open his mouth to speak but Lily quickly covered his mouth with her dainty hand.

"Shhh, or she will hear us," she whispered. A moment later they heard McGonagalls voice.

"Is there a student out here?" A pause and then, "Ruddy owls. I have to clean the bird droppings off this sill twice a day!" Lily bust out laughing. They were sitting directly above the Headmistresses office. Lily pointed to the tree banch that was stuck in between the stones above the window. Lily had apparently placed a nice perch for the owls right above McGonagall's window. The window sill below it was covered in bird shit.

"Are you sure you weren't supposed to be sorted into Slytherin?"

"Are you sure?" Lily shot back at him.

"No."

"Me either!" Lily giggled again." I think that old hat is getting senile. There's a lot of people in Gryffindor this year that clearly don't belong there." She paused, soaking in what was left of the warming sun's rays. "So, back with the monster again, eh? How does it feel? It's what you wanted isn't it? I knew it was."

"Yeah, I suppose I did… though… I don't know how you knew. I dunno Lily, she's different now. She wasn't like this in America. Then again, I didn't date her for long. I was too busy running away and turning myself invisible."

"You are so mental Luke," Lily smiled and fake punched his arm."Well I know her pretty damn well. So you tell me what you like in a girl and I'll tell you if that's Drew. Would that help?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, I guess so. Lily you're crazy, you know that?"

"Yeah I know. So go on."

"Well I like a girl who is nice and funny and pretty and smart, yet not boastfully so, and who loves kids."

"Well that counts me out!" Lily said.

"Why?" Luke was smiling the whole time he was talking to Lily and he didn't even realize it. She made him happy. He felt his worries melt away when he was with Lily.

"Because I'm not smart and I hate bloody kids." Luke bust out laughing.

"You are too smart. You hate kids?"

"Hate em! They pick their noses and their butts and they smell." Luke was laughing so hard that Lily had to roll over on him and cover his mouth, as not to alert McGonagall.

"Don't cover my mouth or I might bite your hand off," Luke pretended to bite Lily and she struggled with him. The struggle ended with the two rolling on the roof laughing and when they stopped, Luke was laying on his side leaning over Lily. Their eyes met and time stood still and suddenly their lips were brushing against each other's. Luke pulled away, in shock. He hadn't meant to do that, but he wasn't sure if he even had done it or if they had both done it at the same time. He wanted to apologize, but when he opened his mouth to speak, he found Lily's mouth on his again. This time their tongues met and they were embroiled in a full on, passionate, snogging session.

"I know I hear students up there! "McGonagall shouted and Luke held Lily tightly and concentrated.

_POP_

They landed in the library. This was Luke's very first side along apparition. He was delighted that he didn't splinch himself, or Lily for that matter. He thought of the library, thinking it would be a quiet place to apparrate to. Hardly anybody was ever in the library. Unfortunately for him, Drew _was_ on this day and she stood up from her seat and stomped over to the forms of Lily and Luke lying in an embrace on the floor of the restricted section. Drew was rattling the cage in the restricted section. Her eyes shooting daggers at Luke, as she yelled at them to open the doors. Luke and Lily ran behind a row of books, while Drew was thrown out of the library by the library attendant.

"What just happened?" Lily finally said to Luke.

"Uhh, I apparrated us here, because I saw McGonagall turn herself into a cat so she could scale the roof."

"Not that Luke. I mean this," and Lily leaned in to Luke and kissed him softly.

Review!?

Everybody has been so awesome, I wrote two chapters today! And long ones at that hehe


	8. Rising Friction

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 8

"Fuck!" Scorpius screamed and ranted. Persephone had just finished dinner and had come back to visit her husband for a while before heading back to Ravenclaw for bed.

"Thank Gods you're here! Maybe you can get him to calm down," the mediwitch said to Persephone.

"Scorpius! What on earth is going on?"

"The bitch took my potion! I had it under my pillow and the fucking bitch took it. Can you get Luke for me? He can make me one." Persephone was shocked to see her husband so strung out for the pain relieving potion. She hadn't realized how serious the condition was. He was addicted and exhibiting signs of withdrawal. His face was pale and he was trembling. Goosebumps formed up and down his arms and legs and he was shivering cold.

"Baby, I took the potion. It fell out from under your pillow earlier and I took it just before I left."

"Smart thinking. That healer probably would have nicked it while I was sleeping. Her care is atrocious. I can't wait to get out of here!" Persephone sat down on the bed next to Scorpius. Her heart was breaking looking at the condition he was in.

"I didn't take it for that reason, Scorpius. I took it, because I didn't think you were supposed to have it. Now I know you aren't supposed to have it. Where did you get it?"

"I have my sources. Give it to me Persephone!" Scorpius yelled at her. Persephone had never seen her husband in this state. He had never even really yelled at her. His personality was pretty laid back and chilled usually, although he wasn't above getting in a brawl with a rival quidditch player after a game, but he had never spoken harshly to Persephone, before now.

"I'm going to give you a choice Scorpius. I can sit here and hold you and stay with you, until the pain goes away. I'm willing to do that for as long as it takes. Or, I can give you the potion and you can drug up and feel good for a while, until it wears off. You choose?"

"Give me the potion Sapphire." Scorpius didn't even think for a second before making his decision. He was worse off then she thought. She kept to her word though and handed him the potion. He chugged half the bottle down, taking much more then the intended dose. Persephone picked up her bag and walked away, leaving Scorpius behind.

"Where ya going?"

"It seems you made your choice Scorpius. I'll come back again tomorrow and ask you the same thing. Until then, good night."

.

.

One of the Auror's broke away from the fight that surrounded Harry Potter. Hermione was scouring the beach still looking for the blasted conch shell that was the portkey to Bermuda. A hex streamed past Hermione and much to Hermione's surprise and Harry's, Oliver Wood hit the Auror with a stunning spell, temporarily stopping his attack. When the hex streamed past Hermione, she dove onto the shelly beach. Broken bits of shell cut into her arms and legs and neck. She grimaced in pain, but continued army crawling towards a shell she saw in the nearby sand. It had to be it. There were no conchs in these waters, it was too cold, or so she thought. Ahe crawled over the broken shells. It felt lile glass cutting into her skin but at long last she found the portkey. Hermione called to Wood, who escorted the Nott's towards Hermione's position. Harry's voice echoed in their ears. The irony of being on a beautiful beach at sunset without Draco, but fighting against the very Auror's that were supposed to protect them, was enough to make Hermione cry, though she didn't. She was back in war mode, and her quick thinking and bravery took over and lead her to victory once more. The Nott's clamored around the conch and then Hermione saw it. The Auror that Wood had stunned was now on his feet, his wand pointed straight at Theodore Nott. Hermione told them to go and then dove in front of Nott, taking the blast of the hex the auror had thrown at Theodore and his family.

"Thank you! I can never thank you enough!" Nott exclaimed as he and his family and Oliver Wood touched the portkey and disappeared. With her body bloodied with cuts, Hermione lay on her back as the auror approached. She suddenly felt the uncontrollable urge to laugh and laugh she did. He hit her with a laughing jinx and Hermione's sides hurt from laughing so hard.

"You are hereby arrested. By the power of the Ministry and the Minister of Magic, Draco Malfoy, you are charged with harboring known fugitives." The Auror didn't recognize her because of the disillusionment charm. He bent down to cuff Hermione when he was hit in the back with red light. Harry appeared over top of Hermione and scooped her onto his broomstick and then like white lightning, they were gone.

.

.

"Hey bro. Where's your wife? I figured she'd be here."

"Yeah, she was here. She left," Scorpius said to Luke. "Have a seat. I was getting lonely in here by myself."

"I figured the place would be a madhouse. Where's all your number one fans?" Luke chuckled.

"The healer won't let anyone but family in. She's such a bitch."

"Well you look much better. Hopefully you get out of here soon."

"Tomorrow. The hag set me free. Said if I can raise such a ruckus then I am healthy enough to get out of hospital. So what's up?" Scorpius asked.

"Why does anything have to be up for me to visit my only brother?"

"Cause I know you Luke. Something's up." Luke thought about his words and decided that he could trust him enough to confide in him.

"I'm dating Drew again, but she's different. She's…she's not very nice Scorpius. "

"You mean she's a bitch? You can say it Luke. You don't always have to act all proper, least not around me. Join the fucking club. Sapphire was a bitch tonight too. She just left me!"

"Seph's been getting ribbed loads Scorpius. You don't know what it's like being related to you. I think you should cut her some slack."

"Yeah, I love her and all, don't get me wrong. She just tried a power play on me tonight and I'm not bloody standing for that. But enough of me, what's Drew doing that has you all in knots?"

"Telling me who I can be friends with. Telling me how to walk,talk and think basically. It's more then that though. I kissed, I mean we kissed…Lily Potter tonight."

"Yeah? Good for you! Yeah Lily is much nicer then Weasley. Lily and I used to get up to trouble when we were kids. She and I had a healthy competition of pulling pranks on people, but she always liked you better. So you kissed her again, did you? Was it better then the first time?" Scorpius laughed.

"What do you mean the first time? This _was _the first time."

"No it wasn't. Remember that time when I was a third year here and I had to do that family tree?"

"Yeah. What about it?" Luke replied.

"Well, I was searching through an old box in Mum's closet for pictures of Dad as a Death Eater, and Grandpa Lucius and Bellatrix. I wanted to freak my Professor out by making a Death Eater family tree. I was a stupid snot back then. Anyways, I didn't find any of those pictures except one of Lucius with this wicked cane with a snake on it and his Dark Mark showing, but what I did find was a picture of you and Lily sitting in the baby pool at The Manor, with Mum and Ginny sitting in chairs next to the pool. You both had your arms around each other and were kissing while the adults ooohhed and ahhhed. Luke the stud," Scorpius began to laugh at the thought. "You looked like you were maybe four years old. I remembered it because in the picture, I was holding a pail of ice water and standing behind Mum. I remember that Dad spanked me until I couldn't sit down! So there ya go. Lovers, back when you were practically in nappies." Scorpius chuckled and Luke looked at him dumbfounded. He wished he could see that picture.

"So, what should I do? Break up with Drew?"

"Ya might not have to."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Damien Stratton's family got deported. Yeah, I guess all the shady shit his Dad did finally came out. He and his Mum got deported."

"And what does that have to do with me and Drew dating?" Luke was shocked and angry at hearing Stratton's name after so long, but he tried to remain calm in Scorpius's presence. Did Scorpius know? He couldn't know!

"He wrote to me and asked if I'd put in a word with Dad, to let him and his Mum into the country. Dad must have felt guilty or something, because he granted them approval. He starts here in a few days. See?" Scorpius tossed a letter to Luke. It was a friendly letter. Apparently, he and Scorpius had remained friends. It was weird seeing the writings of a person who Luke thought to be evil. He seemed so normal in his letter, talking about quidditch and asking what Hogwarts was like, and telling Scorpius he couldn't wait to hang out with him again.

"I see. Well what does he have to do with Drew and me?"

"He used to date her. Not for long, you know how dating is sometimes. I guess it was right before we arrived in America.

"What!?"

"Chill, bro. I thought you were hot for Lily anyways. Besides, that was a long time ago, I'm sure he's outgrown the Weaselette. Shit, when we were at Westwitch he used to talk about what a hot body she had, though he always said he hated her freckles. I thought he was just being an arsehole back then, but I guess they had history together."

"This is news to me. So what do you think of him?"

"He's a friend of mine Luke. Damien has a big mouth, but he's all talk. He knows I can kick his arse too, so he won't fuck with either of us. He's an alright bloke, Luke. Maybe he and Drew will get back together and solve all your problems. I can push him towards her if ya want me to?"

"No! Hey it's been nice visiting you. Hope you heal up okay." Luke stood to leave. He needed to be alone to absorb this information.

"One last thing. Can you brew me some of this potion?" Scorpius said holding out the nearly empty bottle of pain relieving potion.

"That shit isn't good for you Scorpius. If you knew what was in it, you wouldn't take it."

"Yeah, but I don't have your brains. I'm just a stupid jock, remember? That's what you used to tell me," Scorpius laughed. "Can you do it? My leg still hurts a lot and since I'm being thrown out of the hospital wing, I need something for nighttime so I can asleep. I really shouldn't be walking on it yet, but the mediwitch is releasing me early."

"Yeah come see me tomorrow. I'll brew it for you during Potions class. I always finish my work in half the time and then I just sit there bored. This is the only time though Scorpius, and you have to promise me that you will only take the recommended dosage. It's really dangerous stuff. People have gone insane on this stuff and ended up in the mental ward at St. Mungo's," Luke cautioned. He felt like he owed him though, for all the free advice and the Stratton information.

"Thanks bro. I'll be careful I promise."

.

.

"The story is, you and I were messing around in a pretend duel, just honing our skills. Kind of like we used to do back in the DA. Okay Hermione?" Harry said to Hermione as she laughed hysterically, tears rolling down her face from the laughing jinx the Auror hit her with.

"Please Harry, make this laughing stop!"

"I would if I could remember how," Harry said careening over a muggle neighborhood.

"Sleeping spell. Do it now," Hermione said, holding her sides on the front of Harry's broom.

"Oh yeah! Thanks. Hey Hermione, does Draco hit hard?" Harry murmured, as he cast the spell on Hermione. She slumped against his body at that, sleep finding her and the laughter ceasing.

He landed on the front steps of Serenity and Draco threw the door open immediately, upon their arrival. He had just gotten the baby to bed and was frantic with worry, after finding Hermione's simple note. Harry had his story all thought out. That is until he saw cold grey eyes bearing down on him.

"What the fuck happened to my wife! Is she dead? What did you do to her!" Draco lifted Hermione from Harry's broom and nuzzled his head against her bushy mane.

"She's just sleeping Draco. It's okay! Just calm down!" Harry said to Draco, when he saw the intense look upon his face.

"Why is my wife sleeping on your broom! Don't fucking lie to me either Potter. I'll kick your fucking arse, right here and now!"

"We were dueling. Just keeping our skills honed and I accidentally hit Hermione with a sleeping spell. You should have seen what she did to me!"

"So, you want to duel Potter? How about dueling a man, not a woman, you pussy!" Harry had never seen Draco this enraged. Draco pulled his wand on him and shot a warning shot past him, as red light streaked through the countryside. Blaise and Luna had come to the door when they heard the ruckus.

"Fists Draco,fists! You can't fucking have a wand fight. It will ruin your chance at reelection," Blaise said, now turning to Luna. "Can you believe we are finally going to see a fight between these two? It's been coming for years!" Blaise was rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Luna was hovering over Hermione, holding her sleeping head in her arms and trying to coax her awake.

Draco and Harry stood rigid, holding their wands on each other, their eyes locked onto one another's. Draco finally threw his wand to the ground and Harry did to, his stance relaxing a bit.

"You have the wrong idea Draco. Trust me, it's okay. Hermione was really brave."

_THWAP_

Draco's fist landed square on Harry's jaw and Harry stumbled backwards.

"Fight me you prick! Come on hit me, so I can clobber you!"

"I can't believe we get to see a real fight. Does Draco have any of that muggle popcorn?" Blaise went on. Luna looked at him and rolled her eyes as she called out for the boys to stop. Harry didn't have to be asked twice. He was enraged now too. He couldn't believe the audacity of Malfoy, to actually punch him in the face. He walked up to Draco and stood nose to nose with him before throwing an uppercut that caught Draco right in the breadbasket. Draco doubled over, but staggered back at Harry and hit him with a left hook that Harry never saw coming. The two men were lunging at each other and then they were tripping and falling down and then they were rolling on the lawn punching each other repeatedly. Draco would get on top of Harry and smack him around and then Harry would take the upper hand. This went on, until both men were thoroughly exhausted. Draco spat blood and Harry's nose was bleeding. Both men collapsed in the yard, while Blaise clapped wildly.

"How did you ever become friends with him," Harry finally said, through exhausted pants.

"No fucking clue," Draco said back to Harry. Harry chuckled, and then Draco too chuckled.

"Tell me about the fucking Gauntlet, Potter."

"Draco, I can't." Harry stumbled to his feet and reached for his wand. Draco watched him, wondering if the Golden Boy was going to hex him while he laid sprawled on the lawn, to tired to get up. Harry grabbed his broom and spun on his feet.

_POP_

He was gone.

.

.

"Drew, did you ever date Damien Stratton?"

"Is this supposed to get you off the hook for that little stunt to make me jealous with Lily this afternoon?" Drew said to Luke. She had been mad but not overly mad which worried Luke. He half expected a maelstrom of insults and maybe a smack to the face for what had happened in the library. Drew had cried a little bit and chastised him for hurting her and then snuggled down against him on the couch in the common room. This was more like the Drew that he remembered. Drew was always cheerful and friendly when he knew her in America and he could still see that girl underneath all the insecurity. He wondered if having a child at such a young age had jaded her and Luke suddenly felt bad for kissing Lily, because he enjoyed it and here was Drew so messed up. He felt bad that he couldn't make a potion and fix Drew. He couldn't make her problems go away and he did care for her still. It was a real eye opener though, in that Luke could see that he didn't love her in a romantic way anymore, but he did still want to be her friend and in so he wanted her to be happy.

"I wasn't trying to make you jealous, for the last time. He's coming here you know. So I ask you, did you date him back at Westwitch, or not?"

"If you want to call it that," was her response.

"What do you mean? Either you did or you didn't, Drew. It's a yes or no answer."

"Okay…then yes. Though it was really more of a sexual relationship then anything." Luke stood up and let Drew fall to the floor.

"What? You had sex with him?"

"For fucksake Luke, do you want everyone to hear that I balled Damien Stratton? I polished your wand too; do you want to announce that to everyone as well?"

"I thought…I thought... you were…a virgin, Drew!" Luke said and Drew laughed.

"You can be so naïve sometimes babe. I find it adorable."

"Well, I don't find it adorable to find out that my girlfriend is a whore!" Luke was pissed and the biting tongue that he inherited from dear old dad, was rearing its ugly head.

"Whore? I'm hardly a whore. I've only had sex with two guys. Yes, I had sex with Damien Stratton, but he was sort of my boyfriend back then, and it was before I ever met you. He was rich and good in bed. I mean, did you think that I was going to end up POOR, like Molly and Arthur? Or ALONE, like my mother and father? Now come here and snog me," Drew said climbing back onto the sofa and holding out her arms to Luke.

"I can't believe this!"

"Luke, you're overreacting, and you're acting a little prudish. I mean its not as if you're a virgin anymore either! Who cares. I'm with you now and that stuff with Damien is over."

"I AM A FUCKING VIRGIN!" Luke screamed in outrage.

People were standing around the common room now listening to every word he said. When Luke realized that he had just admitted to all of Gryffindor House that he was a virgin, he turned beat red in the face and apparrated away to the first place he could think of.

.

.

He sat on the rooftop, above McGonagall's office and screamed as loud as he could. It was night so nobody would hear him. He contemplated jumping, but only for a second, then the anger swept back over him. Finally, he collapsed on his back and gazed up at the stars above. He heard movement above him.

"I'm a virgin too, you know," a soft voice said. Luke felt a hand on his head, stroking his hair soothingly. "It's okay to be a virgin. Some of us want to wait for that special moment, and that special guy. And some of us, don't want to be wiping a babies arse when we are teenagers." She lifted his arm and snuggled in next to him.

"I'm not Artie's Father..."

"I know," Lily said.

Review!?


	9. Lukes Day in Court

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 9

Hermione woke up with the frantic tapping on her bedroom window of not one, but two owls. She opened the window and snatched the letters that were attached to their talons. One of the owls she recognized as Harry's owl. She looked at Draco, his back turned to her and sleeping soundly in the bed, and Hermione tore open Harry's letter.

'_Mione,_

_He knows…_

_Harry_

_P.S. How do you fix broken noses? I can't see a healer and I can't find the right healing spell._

Hermione threw on her robes, and scrawled a quick response to Harry. She was freaking out at the thought of just what Harry's letter meant. He knows? What does he know? Hermione was peeved that Harry couldn't say what it was that Draco knew! Just like a guy, to be brief when the situation required explanation. Too brief. Damn! Broken nose? Had Draco and Harry come to blows? She crept around the bed and peered on at her sleeping husband. His cheek was red and he had a bruise on his chin. She could see cuts and bruises down his chest and arms too. Hermione frowned. She was in a bit of a quandary it seemed. Every instinct told her to run to her husbands side and hug and hold him and help him heal his battle wounds, but she had to know what Harry knew first. She would just pop over and meet Harry at the diner and then come back and deal with Draco. She needed to be on the same page as Harry with their stories about what happened last night. She took out her quill once again and began to write a note to Draco. She laid it carefully on the night table next to her sleeping husband and turned to leave, when she felt strong hands on the back of her robes.

"Really Hermione…Leaving me another note? Should I owl and make an appointment to see my wife?" Hermione tried to step forward, her back turned to Draco, when she felt a strong tug on her robes and then she was flying backwards into his arms. "You aren't going anywhere Sweetpea."

"Draco, I'll be right back, I promise."

"No, you won't. You will talk to me right now and then if you have somewhere to go I'll going with you. Now, tell me what happened to you last night?"

"I…I…" Hermione clamped her mouth shut.

"Yes? And don't give me some bloody song and dance about dueling with Harry Potter for practice either. My fist still hurts and I'm in no mood to be lied to."

"Why did you attack Harry? He didn't do anything wrong Draco. He's a hero."

"He's a hero? He brings my wife home all cut up, which a thank you might be nice for healing all the cuts and scratches that were allover your body, and then he fucking lies to me about how you got hurt. You had a shell stuck in your neck for godsakes! Now, stop fucking lying to me and let's be honest with one another!"

"We were reliving our days back in the DA. You weren't in the DA Draco, so you don't understand how important it was to us. It was the first time that me and my friends felt powerful, like we could really make a difference."

"Yes, I remember. I was just the fucking bastard who let Death Eaters into the castle. You're trying to throw me off Hermione. I know what you're doing. Now stop the fucking lies right now. Where were you last night?" Hermione began to cry. She didn't know it would be this hard. He wiped her tears away with his thumbs and Hermione threw her arms around his neck. She needed to feel his kiss. She knew she didn't deserve it yet she needed it just the same. She pressed her lips hard against his and kissed him as if it was her last dying breath and his lips were her lifeblood.

"I love you forever Draco. I love you more than anything. Please don't press this issue. Just kiss me." Hermione rolled over on her back and pulled Draco over on top of her. He winced a couple times, clearly in pain, his ribs bruised and sore. He kissed her and allowed his hands to roam down her robes. He stopped and broke off their kiss when he felt a letter tucked inside her robes. He pulled it out and ripped it open. Hermione had completely forgotten about the second owl, in her haste to get out of her house undetected.

_Mum and Dad,_

_Son requests meeting with both parental units ASAP! Mum, bring your briefcase; we will be filing a motion today._

_Love,_

_Luke_

"I'm not done with you," Draco said crawling off Hermione and tossing the letter to her. I'd normally ask you to join me in the shower, but since we are keeping things from each other then I guess the shower will have to wait."

"This sounds serious. I hope he's okay…and visible," Hermione said as an after thought. They showered and dressed in silence. Draco was clearly stewing over the events of last night and Hermione's inability to tell the truth, but their son needed them, so they put their differences aside and left for Hogwarts.

.

.

"Morning, Scorpius. Feeling better today?" Persephone said drawing open the curtains in her husband's room.

"Much, now that you're here. I'm getting out of here today."

"Yeah and the potion? Willing to quit taking it too?"

"Sapphire, babe. I know what I'm doing. It takes the edge off. I'm not a bloody addict like you think."

"Yes, you are, Scorpius! I won't sit around and watch you kill yourself. Please, for me? No more potion."

"You're being a nag."

"Fine, call me a nag! Just stop taking it Scorpius."

"Don't tell me what to do. I'm not your child. I'm your husband, so start treating me like it, or maybe I'll replace you," Scorpius said and Persephone stepped backwards. Her eyes were filled with tears. She bolted from the room.

"I was just kidding!" Scorpius yelled out as she left. Oh well, she will calm down later, he thought to himself.

.

.

"This is a good thing, not a bad thing," Draco said to Hermione after their meeting with Luke. They stood in line at the Ministry, waiting to file the motion rescinding all of Luke's legal rights to the baby.

"I'm just in shock. I thought I had a grandson," Hermione said shaking her head. "I mean, obviously, this is great for Luke. He can have his childhood back, but the story he told is quite disturbing. Draco, this is all likely to come out in the papers. Once I ask for a blood test and a veritserum test the Prophet will catch wind of it. Skeeter and her associates stalk this office, looking for dirt." Hermione looked at the wizard behind them and glared at the man. He was staring and leaning in as if to listen. He was a bald wizard that wore elephant skin boots. Hermione sneered at him, upon seeing the boots made out of such an exotic and beautiful animal. Draco noticed her scowl and he turned around and raised an eyebrow at the man. The wizard backed off, at the unfriendly look Draco cast him.

.

.

"What's the meaning of this? Is this some sort of trick?" Molly shouted in the office of Mini Witches and Wizards.

"Yeah Luke, what's the meaning of this?" Luke didn't respond to Drew though. Molly and Arthur acting on Ron's behalf, Draco and Hermione, Luke and Drew, all sat in the waiting room, waiting for their case to be heard. An old woman in robes finally entered the waiting room and escorted them all into the courtroom.

"Just let me do the talking okay? Only answer what is asked of you. Don't give any more information then you need to," Hermione whispered to her son.

"You're dropping the custody case?" The old woman presiding over the proceedings asked Hermione.

"Yes, M'am. We no longer seek custody of the boy, barring a blood test and veritserum evidence.

"On what grounds do you ask for these tests to be performed on the minors?"

"On the grounds that my son is…" Hermione looked at Luke and then whispered under her breath to the woman. "My son is a virgin, so the child could not possibly be his."

"I'm an old woman Ms. Malfoy. Could you please speak up, so that we all may hear." Hermione mouthed the words that she was sorry, to Luke.

"My son is a virgin. We would like a paternity test and also veritserum test performed on Drew Weasley for reasons that I have stated on the petition." The judge looked down at the petition and her eyes grew wide.

"I see. This is highly irregular, but I'm willing to grant the paternity test. The veritserum will be at the discretion of Arthur and Molly Weasley, as they are Drucilla Weasley's guardians at the moment. If they sign the consent form, then I will administer the tests right here and now."

"I'll not sign anything. This woman has been trying to take the baby away for months! Now, she suddenly wants to deny that Luke is my grandson's rightful father? No!"

"We'll sign it. I'm sick of all this fighting. Hermione has been like family to us for years Molly. If there is a chance that what she says here on this petition is true, then it's in everyones best interest that the truth come out."

"Arthur!"

"I insist Molly. I've listened to you for years. Ron would approve of this if he were here and as his Father, I am stepping in and making the decision. We will sign it," Arthur said to the judge.

"Very well then. Luke Malfoy please approach the bench." Luke slowly walked to the front of the room. His heart was beating in his chest. This was a big step for him to take. He looked at the toddler on Molly's lap and he smiled at the baby boy. He really did love kids and he knew he wanted a family of his own someday. The toddler cooed a nearly incomprehensible, "dada" and Luke stopped in his tracks. He turned and walked over to Molly and held his arms out. Molly reluctantly allowed him to take the baby. Luke hugged the boy in his arms and kissed him on the cheek. He thought he saw a tear fall down Drew's cheek as she watched Luke with her son.

"You deserve the truth," he whispered in the boy's ear, before handing him to Drew. "I'm sorry Drew. I should have told you a long time ago. Please don't hate me." He approached the bench and the judge flicked her wand on the baby across the room. She then flicked her wand on Luke and muttered a spell under her breath. The judge looked down at her blank parchment in front of her and asked.

"Is Lucius Draco Malfoy the father of Arthur Lucius Weasley?" Words appeared on the parchment and the judge held the paper up for all in the courtroom to see. Two letters were all that appeared on the page. The letters N and O. "Who is the Father?" The judge looked at it and then passed the parchment to Drew. She looked at the parchment in confusion and then she looked up at Luke. She looked back down at the parchment as if searching for a memory that she was unable to retrieve. Luke observed her body language and her facial expressions. Her body was rigid, her shoulders tight. Finally, though he saw dawning form in her eyes. She nodded, ever so slightly to herself.

"Because of the unusual circumstances and the fact that this poor boy's life has been turned upside down, I will ask that Drucilla Nymphadora Weasley, submit to veritserum. I suspect the true father of the baby will want to see the evidence of this anyways, so I will just add it to the case file. I will not enforce this test; however, it is vital to proving the identity of the father of this baby. Because Mr. Malfoy's name is on the birth records and was named the father of the boy, Mr. Stratton does not have to agree to the test I just performed on Mr. Malfoy. He could simply deny your claim Miss Weasley. If the veritserum potion does indeed corroborate what is written on the parchment I handed you, then I could enforce the paternity test on Mr. Stratton. The results of the paternity are legally binding and in that case, he would be forced to acknowledge his son and will pay back child support and you will receive a monthly allowance.

"She will take the test," Arthur Weasley said.

"Tell me the truth Drew? Did he rape you that night? I don't want to know by some test, I want you to tell me!" Luke asked.

"Your honor…" Drew stood and spoke." Can I have a minute with Luke,uhhh, Mr. Malfoy, alone?" The judge nodded and sent them into a small enclosed room, just off the courtroom. Hermione and Draco looked at him like two concerned parents and Hermione whispered that she was there for him should he need her.

Once alone Drew took Luke by the hands.

"I didn't remember Luke. I swear I didn't. You have to believe me."

"I do. I could see on your face that you didn't remember. Drew…did he rape you?"

"Things were…different between Damien and I. His father…didn't approve of our relationship. We had to hide it from him. You remember the New Year's Eve dance?" Luke nodded.

"Well…Earlier in the evening, when you were getting us drinks; Damien came up to me and told me I looked beautiful. He told me that his father was dead now and that he and I could resume our relationship if I wanted to. I was terribly rude to him. I was hurt. I always felt he was ashamed of me and he constantly kidded with me about my freckles. I told him to piss off. I told him I had a guy who loved me and that you were smarter and richer and better in every way." Luke cringed. He had heard similar words from Drew not so long ago and he remembered how much they stung and wounded him.

"You really shouldn't say that to guys. Comparing like that…it isn't fair Drew. You did it to me too and you can't know how deeply it hurt me."

"I know. I guess I get that from my Dad. I don't always think before I speak. I just…wanted to hurt Damien for making me feel like his mistress or his dirty whore, which he joked and called me from time to time. I know he didn't mean it, yet you know Damien and how abrasive he can be. So that's when I reached for the champagne. Damien was staring at me all night and he too was quite intoxicated. He must have followed us up to the room. It's a little foggy, but I remember you left to go get the contraception potion. As soon as you left, Damien came in, and if you remember, I was naked. Well one thing led to the other and we made love. It wasn't rape. He was tender and loving.

"I saw blood Drew. How do you explain that?" Luke interjected. He had seen traces of blood mixed with semen on her leg and stomach.

"My nails Luke. It was passionate," she blushed, "and I guess I scratched him? Once you start having sex, you will understand how things can get carried away in the midst of love-making."

"No. I think after all this I'll be celibate for a good long while. I'm in no hurry," Luke said with all honesty. He knew he wasn't ready for the complications that came with having a sexual relationship. Eventually, yes, but not anytime soon. That didn't mean that he didn't feel like holding Lily and kissing her deeply. He couldn't wait to tell her all of this.

Drew did have long nails, so it made sense now that he knew.

"It was raw and passionate and when we were done Damien told me to break up with you. I said no, and he tipped back a bottle of firewhiskey and told me that he was going to drink himself to death. I told him to leave because he was drunk. He did. I must have fallen asleep and when I woke up you were in bed next to me. I decided the stuff with Damien must have been a dream. I thought you and I made love and that I just couldn't remember it. I didn't want to hurt you Luke. I knew it was your first time, so I pretended to remember it."

"I'm glad you told me Drew."

"Do you hate me?"

"I don't hate you. Can I ask you one thing?" Luke said squeezing her hands.

"Do you still love him?"

"I never said I loved Damien Stratton."

"Yeah, but you do, don't you?"

"I…He's so…Luke…I…Yes," Drew said looking down at her feet.

"Come here." Luke held his arms open and hugged Drew into is chest.

"You're in love with the father of your baby. That isn't something to be ashamed about, or even to be sad about. Do you see how this could be the best thing that ever happened to you?" Drew lifted her head and Luke saw a sparkle in her eyes, as if the thought hadn't ever occurred to her. Hell, she had just found out that the man she loved was the father of her son.

"I'd have to change his name. Damien would want me to name if after him. What if he doesn't want the baby or me? Oh Luke, this is crazy! Thank you! You are the sweetest boy! I wish you and my cousin Lily well. I'm sorry I was such a bitch. I knew you had feelings for her. I'm sorry. You should ask her to the dance that's coming up! Oh, I'm going to help you make things right. Let's be friends okay?" Luke agreed and hugged her tight.

"You know, you were my first love and I'll never forget you," he said.

"I know. I kind of broke your heart too. I'm sorry Luke. You deserve so much more."

This was the Drew he remembered, caring and loving and sweet. Lily though…Lily was something special and he couldn't wait to tell her.

.

.

Draco and Hermione didn't stay around for the veritserum test. There was no need. Luke filed them in on what happened, the stripped down version of course, before he left for Hogwarts.

Draco and Hermione were strolling down the Ministry together, when they nearly ran smack into Harry and Ginny, arm in arm.

"Harry, uhhh, Ginny…fancy meeting you here," Hermione said nervously. Why were Harry and Ginny here together? How would Draco and Harry react to each other after their apparent fight last night, were worries that ran through Hermione's mind.

"Wow, somebody really worked you over Potter," Draco smirked, feeling proud of the beaten and battered face Harry was sporting.

"Yeah the glamours your wearing, aren't hiding anything, pretty boy," Harry shot back with a smirk of his own.

"Least I don't hit like a girl, limp wrist."

"Boys! Please! We are in the Ministry, have some respect for the institution," Hermione said, while Ginny snickered along with the guys.

"We have some news Hermione. Care to join us for lunch?" Ginny asked. Hermione thought about the last time they all ate out together and the glorious food fight they all got into.

"We will actually eat this time. I'm bloody hungry, since I'm eating for two now," Ginny exclaimed and then covered her mouth the second the words had crossed her lips. Harry smiled at her.

"Merlin, Ginny! A baby?" Hermione said with excitement. She then turned to Harry, worried that Harry may be miserable because the Leprechaun Seeker knocked her up, but Harry was smiling with a proudly.

"Okay let's get it out in the open. Harry and I never stopped having…uhhh…relations. Even after the divorce. We just click well together in the bedroom."

"Way too much information," Draco drawled, but he stuck his hand out and offered congratulations to Harry, which made Hermione smile.

"Are you saying that the baby is…Harry's?" Hermione asked and Draco tossed his head as if his wife was butting in where it was none of her business.

"We just had a test to be sure. Harry is the father and we are getting back together," Ginny kissed Harry at that and Hermione smiled.

"Congratulations! So let's go sit down and celebrate. That is..if you boys can be good?" She looked at Draco and Harry with a scowl.

"Yes, let's go sit down and have lunch and talk about The Gauntlet," Draco said with a smirk. "Come on dear, or shall I say Mistress of Ceremonies?" Harry held Ginny's hand back when Draco began to escort Hermione away. Draco turned with a wicked stare. "Well come on! Where would the Mistress of Ceremonies be, without the Master of Ceremonies at her side?" Draco said to Harry and Harry gulped. Ginny looked at her former husband in confusion.

"I'll explain at lunch," he said to Ginny.

"Yes, you will. You both will," Draco said wrapping a tight arm around Hermione's waist and digging his fingers into her side.

.

.

"Mr. Malfoy! Shouldn't you be in class?" McGonagall said to Scorpius outside the Great Hall. Scorpius had been catching up with old friends and skipping class. Now he stood in McGonagall's presence.

"Yes Professor. I was on my way."

"See that you get there." McGonagall cast a disapproving glare, at seeing Violetta Longbottom, hanging allover him. He would shrug her off, but like a leech that she was, she just kept coming back. He hadn't seen Persephone since the morning and honestly, with all the attention, he had forgotten all about her and the fight they had.

"Oh, Mr. Malfoy?" McGonagall stopped in her tracks and turned. "Your wife left on extended holiday, but I'm sure you knew that already. I didn't approve of her departure, but she felt it necessary. I guess her mother has husbanditis? I'm not familiar with that disease, but I hope Miss Black's mother recovers quickly from it. I'd hate to see Persephone get behind in her classes. Wish her and her mother well for me, will you?"

"Persephone left? As in gone?" Scorpius said, reeling. McGonagall nodded sullenly.

"Yes, she asked me to give this to you. Now all of you get to class, before I start taking points and issuing detentions!" The kids scattered, but Scorpius stood there and looked down at the letter from his wife.

_Scorpius,_

_I won't stand by and watch you destroy everything good you have in your life. If you want a divorce, file the papers and send them to me at the Dragon Witch. I won't contest a divorce. All I ever wanted in this marriage was…you. I'm staying with my mother and Serena._

_Sapphire_

Scorpius punched his fist into the stone wall and shouted obscenities. He took the bottle of potion from his robes and drank it, before sliding down the wall, as the potion's effects eased his pain but not his broken heart.

Review!?

Needed to tie up the Drew/Luke/Lily stuff to make room for rest of Scorpius/Persephone storyline and more importantly the fireworks that are coming up with The Gauntlet storyline hehe Hope you enjoyed. Have some really good stuff coming up in future chapters!


	10. Confessions

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 10

Dinner went well. Draco and Harry exchanged crafty insults towards one another and Hermione and Ginny made up for missing time. The subject of the gauntlet came up immediately and Harry handled it so Hermione didn't have to implicate herself to Draco. It was all rather convoluted, because Draco knew Hermione was involved, but Harry just went along with Hermione's wishes out of respect for his longtime friend. Luna was discussed. Particularly getting Luna and her children out of the country. Draco wanted to plan it all out and he himself wanted to be involved, but Harry categorically told him no. Hermione piped in and pointed out how important it was that Draco win the election, because The Gauntlet wouldn't last forever. Ultimately, he was the key to overturning the law, so Hermione insisted that his attentions be cornered in that arena.

Draco and Hermione left the restaurant and decided to take a leisurely walk through the park.

"Do you remember this bench, Draco? You threw up just over there after we got married," Hermione giggled.

"No. I almost threw up, theres a difference. So… I guess this is our bench?" Hermione stopped and put her head on his Draco's shoulder.

"Draco,I'm sorry."

"Alright. Don't start crying." Draco took his wife in his arms and kissed her. When he pulled away he saw the same wizard with the elephant skin boots, looking at him. He approached him this time, intent on finding out what his problem was, but the man apparrated just as Draco reached him.Draco stormed back towards and grabbed her hand.

"We have to go. I have a very bad feeling. I just remembered where I know that guy from. Let's go home."

.

.

Luna was frantic and Blaise was comforting her. The kids were crying wet tears, huddled on the floor together when Draco and Hermione got back to Serenity.

"What happened!" Draco shouted. His question was answered though, when he picked up Jessie and looked at her forehead. In glowing letters was the word SQUIB tattooed to the little girls forehead. Draco rubbed it with his shirt sleeve, but the glowing goop wouldn't come off. He hugged Jessie to his heart.

"I did what you said, Uncle Draco. I ran frommed da strange man with the funny boots."

"You're a very good girl, Jessie. Uncle Draco will make that bad man pay too."

"It won't come off! I don't have my wand and I've tried everything to get it off," Luna cried into Blaise's chest, her boys hugging her legs.

"I tried too mate, I can't get it off. I tried every spell I could think of."

_POP_

Lucius and Narcissa popped in, with urgent looks upon their faces.

"Draco, I just cruicio-ed a strange man that was lurking through the Manor. I caught him skulking around the garden," Lucius exclaimed. "I hope I won't have to go to Azkaban. He was breaking and entering after all. I just held my wand out and the words flew off my tongue. I 'spose I've been itching to use cruiciatus on someone, for a long time. Best we don't mention that to the Aurors though."

"No time right now Father. Look I need your help. I need you to go to Paris and find out who the silent partner of Jean Paul LaRoche was. I think I might know what's going on with all the squib births."

"Jean Paul never told me who his partner was Draco. They don't have records," Luna interjected.

"That's why I need somebody that's a little twisted, in order to extract certain information from certain people that might otherwise not be compelled to speak. That's why I need you Father."

Lucius smiled and ran a hand through his long hair, his pride bursting forth. Luna's jaw was on the floor and Hermione was racing up the stairs to check on baby Jillian. It was a chaotic house. Serenity was anything but serene. Draco touched the glowing goop on Jessie's head with his fingers, trying to figure out just what substance it was, in order to devise a way to get the letters off the little girl's head, when everything suddenly went dark.

.

.

Luke wanted to tell Lily everything that went down but he felt some renewed allegiance to Drew. He didn't think it was his place to divulge family secrets, especially with Stratton showing up to school today. He told himself, that if his plan worked out, he would tell Lily everything and would officially ask her "out" on a date.

"Luke, did you see him?" Drew whispered to Luke. Luke had spotted Lily and was eager to see her, talk to her, maybe even kiss her again. She smiled at him as she passed by. Luke watched his chance slip away as he stood outside the Transfiguration classroom with Drew.

"I haven't yet. I bet we see him at lunch."

"What should I do? What should I say? I mean how do you tell a guy that you're single and you had his baby?"

"Well, for one you don't blurt it out like that. Just let things happen naturally Drew. Lately you've been so obsessed with controlling things."

"I have?" Drew said in a friendly voice.

"Yeah. Just let things happen. I'll help though. But I think I may owe him an apology."

"Well, not really Luke. He did sleep with your girlfriend." Luke thought about that for a moment.

"Yeah, you're right! He did do that. Fuck him." Luke said and Drew looked worried before he broke a smile.

" Are you sure you like him of all people? He's so arrogant."

"So is Scorpius."

"Oh shit, I forgot I have to meet Scorpius. I'll see you at lunch Drew!" Luke was pleased that things were going swimmingly with Drew. Now if he could just make Stratton fall back in love with Drew, and if he could just get Lily to fall in love with him, then he could be happy and guilt free!

He rounded the corner with the potion tucked into his robes, when he saw Scorpius handing one of the seventh year Slytherin's a bag of what looked like gold galleons, as noted by the Gringott's pouch they were held in. The boy slipped a vial of potion into Scorpius's hands and when the Slytherin left, Scorpius took a big swig. Luke narrowed his eyes on his brother and swaggered up to him.

"You're drugging up!"

"Luukkkkkke…"

"Scorpius? Are you okay?" Luke shook his brother. Scorpius eyes were rolling back in his head. He had to move quickly. He knew what was happening. He had just overdosed on the potion he was illegally taking. Luke wrapped Scorpius's arm around his shoulder's and dragged him as quickly as he could down the hall to the Potions room. Luke set the quidditch player down on one of the tables and then set to work. He was plucking ingredients from the potions pantry in blitzkrieg fashion. He looked at his brother briefly, in between mixing ingredients into the cauldron, to see that he was growing paler by the minute. He stirred the potion then dipped the ladle in and raised Scorpius's head so that he could drink. He parted his lips and let the liquid pour down his throat. Almost immediately, Scorpius was gasping and coughing, his color returning to him once again. Luke let out a collective sigh.

"Where are we?" Scorpius said, his head feeling woozy.

"In the potions room. You just overdosed on that potion you bought in the corridor from that dumbass fucking prick, Colten. I had to give you an antidote.

"You're overreacting Luke. I'm late for my next class. See ya." Scorpius got up and began to leave. Luke grabbed him by the back of the shirt and shoved him up against a wall.

"You should be dead right now! If I hadn't found you when I did...Well I shudder to think about it Sorpius! Do you think the mediwitch knows how to brew a difficult potion to counteract the ingredients in that shit you're polluting your body with? Because I'm quite she doesn't! I saved your life and I want something in return." Luke had Scorpius in height by an inch or more, but Scorpius was a jock, and he was much more muscular then Luke was. He shoved Luke backwards, pushing him twice, hard in the chest and Luke fell backwards.

"You should remember who the older bother is Luke. So how much do ya want this time for saving my life, as you put it?"

"Money? You think I want money? This isn't a joke Scorps. I want you to stop drinking that poison!"

"And what if I don't? What are you going to do about it? Tell Mum and Dad?"

"Will that make you stop? That is POISON you are putting into your body. Do you want to ruin your quidditch chances, your music, and your marriage even? You will die Scorpius! Do you think I like seeing my brother's eyes rolled back into his head and barely breathing?" Luke started to cry at that and Scorpius finally understood the magnitude of Luke's pleas.

"I'm sorry little brother okay? I didn't mean to hurt you or scare you. Hell, it's all I seem to do anymore. I was just upset that Sapphire left me and went back to America. I took too much of the stuff, that's all. I won't do it again. I'll stop okay?" Scorpius wrapped an arm around Luke and promised not to take the potion anymore.

"I mean it. If I see you taking it again, I _will_ tell Mum and Dad. You scared me so bad. Tell Persephone you quit, but mean it. I'm sure she will come back. She loves you." Luke didn't quite believe Scorpius was going to stop taking the potion. So just in case, he bottled what was left of the antidote, just in case…

.

.

"Where am I?" Draco awoke in a dank cell. It was dark and gloomy, like a dungeon. He felt for his wand but he didn't have it. It was then that he heard muffled cries coming from a dark corner in the room. He moved towards the cries and called out.

"Hello? Who's there?"

A small and meek voice answered him.

"Scorpius, is that you?" Before Draco had the chance to answer the voice that he immediately recognized, the girl had launched herself into his arms. She was kissing his neck and hugging onto him for dear life.

"It's not Scorpius. It's me, Draco, Mr. Malfoy. You're gonna be okay. How did you...where are we?"

"Mr. Malfoy?" Persephone pulled back. He felt so much like Scorpius and his voice was nearly identical to Scorpius's. She just kissed Mr. Malfoy! She tried to recover. She had truly never been happier to see anyone in her whole life, even if it was her husband's father. "I was taken at the train station. I was going to see my Mum and sister in America. I was brought here by a man who calls himself Rasputin. He's demented."

"You mean Raspodin?"

"No, I mean Rasputin. He told me to call him Dimitri and he said that if you agreed to his demands that he would let me go. Did you agree to his demands? Are you here to take me out of here?"

"Shhh, just calm down. We will get through this. No, I just appeared here. I was wiping this goop off of Jessie's forehead and…That's it! That's how he brought me here. It was sticky and goopy like a potion. This is starting to make sense. Persephone, did he hurt you?"

"No. I mean besides me being frightened and cold and wet from this rain in here. I made a dreadful mistake leaving Scorpius. Just because he's on drugs, doesn't give me the right to leave him when he needs help. No matter how mean he was to me."

"Whoa, what are you talking about? My son is on drugs?"

"Getting acquainted I see. Good. I was worried for a moment that Goron had taken the wrong girl. I thought surely your son Scorpius would not have married this little waif of a bookish looking girl. But then, his Father didn't choose wisely either. No accounting for taste with some wizards. Tell me little girl, are you a pureblood or a mudblood?"

"Don't answer that. It has no relevance to anything," Draco said.

The man stood at the bars of Draco and Persephone's cage and then he heard a familiar female voice in the background.

"Let us out, Raspodin. I know it's you. Worried about the recent polls that show me on top of the race for Minister?"

"Not at all, not at all. Please though, call me by my given name, Rasputin."

"See, I told ya," Persephone chimed in.

"Rasputin…sounds familiar. Oh yes, Rasputin who was said to be a healer and a psychic with supreme magical powers. He brought down the entire Romanov royal family in Russia. Outcast in high society as I recall. Strange nutter type. What a pleasure."

"Obviously you are far better at history, then you are at being Minister of Magic. So, now that we have conversed politely, let's get down to the real reason you're here. I'm sure you're wondering, yes?"

"Oh no, not at all. My daughter in-law and I, simply adore being here in your prison. Get to the fucking point already!"

"I want you to withdraw from the race. Tell them you are retiring from the Ministry."

"Not a chance."

"I thought you might say that. That's why I've procured a few safeguards. One being, your plain American daughter in-law. I'd hate for something to happen to your wife and baby daughter. Or what about those juvenile delinquent son's of yours? You have single handedly ruined the entire wizarding world, Malfoy! It's because of your policies that we now have an infestation of squibs! Admit it!"

"No! I can't explain why so many squibs are being born, but I assure I _will _find out."

"Not if the entire wizarding world believes that you ran off with your much younger daughter in law. What would all the good witches and wizards that support you now, think of a man who runs off with his son's wife? Tsk tsk. So, either drop out, or prepare to spend your Easter holidays right here, caged like an animal. I'll give you time to think about it. Come Pansy, I need you to take a letter. I sense that the Daily Prophet will be most happy to get this scoop!"

"Yes, sir," Pansy Parkinson-Longbottom said. As soon as the wizard left the room Draco cried out.

"Pansy, let us out!"

"I'm sorry Draco. Just retire and it'll all be over. I don't fancy your pretty arse in here any more then you like being in here. Do the right thing and retire. My employer is serious Draco, and he's right you know. You did do this to our society. Encouraging mudbloods and purebloods to intermingle. You set an example by marrying Granger. There's a reason our blood isn't supposed to mix. Look, I care about you. I always have. I don't want to see you come to any harm, but you have to retire Draco. You had your time in office and you made a mess of it. Just retire and we will let you out."

"Bite me Pansy. You're delusional if you believe any of this man's propaganda. He's insane! He calls himself Rasputin!"

"He is the grandson of Rasputin!"

"Rasputin was not well liked Pansy. Okay, so he's slightly better then the Dark Lord himself, but not by much! We fought a war to end this type of hate and racism. Have you forgotten?"

"I haven't forgotten….but you've forgotten which side of that war _we_ were on!" She slammed the door.

"She's a nut!" Persephone said sitting on the floor next to Draco.

"Yeah, I can't believe I ever dated her."

"You dated her?"

"I'm not proud of it."

"Mr. Malfoy…about that press release. I'm sorry."

"What? Why are you sorry? You have done nothing wrong here. These are my adversaries trying to intimidate me into giving up my seat as Minister. It's not going to work. I'm going to get us out of here as soon as I come up with a plan."

"No, you don't understand."

"You're shaking. Come here." Persephone raised an eyebrow but scooted into Draco. She had been here for two days shivering in the cold, damp dungeon. Her hair was drenched and her clothes were moist with a moldy like water, that smelled of chemicals. He wrapped an arm around her to comfort her. Night was falling and it was sure to get colder in their prison. "Are you warmer now?" Draco asked the trembling girl.

"Yes, Thank you. Though I'm not sure you are going to want me sitting this close to you, once I confess what I feel I must confess to you."

"Look, if it's about the other day, just forget about it. I really don't want to think about that awkward moment right now," Draco said, feeling his body become rigid with nerves. Sitting in a dark room cuddled up next to his son's teenage wife was not on Draco's "to do" list.

"It wasn't just then. I saw you getting a blowjob from Mrs. Malfoy and then I started having unclean thoughts about you."

"Persephone, you're a nice girl. Maybe too nice. I adore that my son adores you, but sometimes you don't have to tell the whole truth." Draco blushed hard and covered his eyes with his hand.

"There's more. I need to get this out because I feel dirty thinking about you doing things to me that even Scorpius hasn't done to me…yet anyways," Persephone continued, and Draco was sure he was going to have a coronary. Whatever happened to bottling feelings up and repressing desires? This new generation of kids were too free spirited, Draco thought to himself. He was screaming Hermione's name in his head.

Review!?

Thanks to all the reviewers!! I will answer some reviews in the next chapter. I am just too tired tonight. Keep them up! Going to the beach tomorrow for the day! Yay! I am so pale and I desperately need a tan.


	11. Into Waiting Arms

Broomsticks and the Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 11

"Give me that!" Narcissa Malfoy shrieked at Blaise Zabini. He was reading _The Daily Prophet,_ with a look of miffed and shocked horror on his face. Narcissa Malfoy snatched it from his hands and her eyes narrowed, when she read the false story about her only son being a louse and an adulterer. When Hermione entered the room, with a cooing baby Jillian in her arms, Narcissa dropped the paper, as if it was on fire and kicked it under the couch with her foot.

"What was that?" Hermione asked.

"What was what Dear?" Narcissa tried to smile through quivering lips.

"You just kicked something under the couch when you saw me come in!" Hermione passed the baby off to Blaise, who bounced her in his arms when she started to whimper.

"Nonsense, Dear."

"Cissy! Move your legs so I can see what you're hiding." Narcissa clamped her legs shut in front of her while Hermione squatted and reached around the woman's thin, toned legs. She ripped the paper out from under the couch and collapsed on her bum to read it. Hermione threw the paper down.

"Blaise, will you retrieve my son's from Hogwarts?" Blaise handed Hermione the baby back and nodded. He stood there for approximately two seconds staring at Hermione, sympathy written all over his face when Hermione turned on him.

"Now, Blaise! Now! Chop chop!" Blaise snapped out of it with a startled look on his face and then spun on his heels and disappeared.

"I'll hex her titt's off," Narcissa said with a curled lip. "That Rita Skeeter messed with the wrong witch this time."

"This isn't Skeeter, not this time. Whoever has Draco is responsible for this. I need to speak with Harry. This complicates things," Hermione said aloud, though she was really talking to herself.

A popping noise echoed through Serenity and both Narcissa and Hermione looked up to see Harry and Ginny Potter along with the Leprechaun standing in the kitchen.

"Look mate; take your pot 'o gold and get out of our lives. Ginny and I are back together, so get it through your thick Irish skull!" Harry was fuming. "Hi 'Mione. We saw The Daily Prophet and I knew you'd need my help, so we came. Unfortunately, we were in the midst of some unpleasantness. I'll just be a minute."

"And by the way. You should have caught the snitch against Bulgaria. There was no excuse for losing to that old and decrepit seeker."

"Leprechaun…I'm sorry, but you and I were never serious. Didn't you get it when I feigned a headache for a month straight? Any normal wizard would realize that their girlfriend was cheating on them with some other wizard. I'm sorry, but Harry and I just click."

"Ye all mental, ye know that?!" With that, Ginny's former boyfriend apparrated out. Harry and Ginny blushed and took a seat in the family room.

"I'm not going to even ask! Harry, Draco's been taken, and if I'm correct, Persephone too. We have to find them!"

"We will 'Mione, I promise. Don't forget though. We have a Gauntlet tonight."

Hermione had forgotten about that. Word had spread though, and there was no way they could cancel it. Obviously, someone knew that Luna and her kids were staying at the Malfoy's. They had to get her out of Britain. The time was now, whether Draco was missing or not. Hermione had spent half the night figuring out how to get the glowing words off Jessie's forehead. She did at last succeed, by using muggle fingernail polish remover. The girl had complained that it smelled bad, but Hermione was astonished to see that it actually worked, and the word "squib" was permanently removed from the girls body. She had then spent the rest of the night worrying about Draco, and patiently waiting for him to come home. Nobody really saw him leave. He was there one minute and gone the next. They had all hoped that he had left on some lead, but Hermione knew better. Draco always said goodbye before he left. Then when he didn't show up by bedtime, she was in a full panic. She wore a hole in the rug in their bedchamber from pacing. She had to glamour herself in the morning because she had dark circles and bloodshot eyes from worrying and pacing, wishing that Draco would come back.

"I'll be there Harry. Please though, let's put our heads together and figure this out. Narcissa, have you heard from Lucius? I think Draco was onto something about this potions chain."

_POP_

Blaise was standing with his arms on both Luke and Scorpius's shoulders.

"Boys! Come give your Mum a hug. I have a bit of shocking news."

"We already know Mum. Luke showed me the paper at breakfast this morning. Is my wife okay? Is Dad alright? What's going on?" Scorpius asked.

Hermione went over the facts with the boys and Luke seemed to pause on the part about Ancient Apothecary, potions chain.

"Blaise, come to my father's library and fill me on what Dad knew about the chain." Luke said in a commanding voice. Blaise didn't even wink as he followed the young Malfoy into the library. It seemed so natural. He was used to taking orders from Draco and Luke was just like Draco in his ability to lead. Hermione noticed it too and while she was proud of her younger son, it just made her miss Draco even the more.

"I have an idea Mum. I can do some damage control here," Scorpius said.

"Scorpius that's sweet of you, but I don't want you mixed up in this. I love you too much and Draco would never allow you to put yourself in harms way."

"It's my wife that's missing too, Mum! Now, I'm not asking. I'm nearly of age and it's time I start living my own life. My father taught me that I should protect the family that I love, and he taught me it well. So, I have a plan to save Dad's reputation and Sapphires too. I'll not let some snarling she-devil, ruin Dad's chances at reelection and my wife did nothing to be dragged through the mud like this." Hermione opened her mouth to speak but Narcissa cut her off.

"He's right Hermione. Let the boy speak," she said.

"Thank you, Grandmother. Who in this family has as much, if not more, notoriety as Dad?" Scorpius looked to his Mum and his grandmother. "Me, that's who. I'll call the reporters here and have a press conference. I'll hold a free concert for all witches and wizards. Like a free the squib concert as part of Dad's campaign. I'll dismiss the story about Dad and my wife, because it's utterly preposterous, and that will trump any negative perceptions in the hearts and minds of his constituency. So, get me a quill and some parchment and I'll send for the reporters now. I want my wife back though, so if you think you're going to leave me out of any plans you have, you are sadly mistaken. So…talk! Where is Sapphire and Dad?"

.

.

Draco woke with the teenage wife of his son's, nestled against his chest. Despite being completely blindsided by Sapphire the night before when she had confessed having erotic thoughts about Draco, he felt comfortable with the girl in his arms. Almost like a father protecting his daughter. That is after all, how he had always viewed her. She stirred and slowly opened her eyes.

"Morning," she said sitting up and rubbing her eyes. A spider crawled up the wall next to her and Draco saw it at the same time she did. He smacked it with his hand and Sapphire's body relaxed again. "I had the strangest dream."

"Maybe you should keep it to yourself," Draco piped in. She laughed.

"Oh! It wasn't that kind of dream. I dreamt about Scorpius. He needed me. Mr. Malfoy, we need to get out of here!"

"Shhh, do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That…That humming."

"Yeah, it gets louder around mid morning." He bolted to his feet and started scanning the walls and the ceiling.

"Do you see something? Can I help you look?"

"I know where we are! At least, I know what type of a building we are in. This is an apothecary. That humming is the electric boiler. I have one just like it in my Potions shop."

"Boiler? I thought potions were made in cauldrons?"

"Yes, yes! It's a great cauldron! When you mass market potions you don't use small cauldrons like you would in a classroom. What boggles the mind though, is the fact that I don't see a drain down here. After the potion is stirred and brewed, per the recipe requires, the potion is released down a drain to cool and then packaged into bottles. From there the bottles are boxed and stamped with its destination. The humming is coming from above us, so there must be a drain in this dark cell somewhere.

Draco searched frantically for the drain that he knew had to be there.

"Draco! Over here! I remember the first day I was here there was a gushing sound and it was coming from this corner." Draco ignored the fact that Sapphire just called him Draco, rather then Mr. Malfoy, like she usually did.

"You found it! Good job!" Draco inspected the drain, sticking his head inside and gazing upwards. He could hear the humming sound again, only louder. He knew the huge potion boiler in the room above them was close to being finished.

"I need to clog the drain. It will cause an explosion and we can escape."

"How do you know?"

"Because, this rain as you called it isn't rain at all. It's fertility potion. I brew something similar in my own apothecary. If fertility potion isn't drained as soon as its ready, it explodes. I need to clog the drain, but what can I use? Shit! We don't have much time. You said you heard gushing three days ago. This potion takes three days to brew! Unless you want to spend another three days in here, I suggest you help me think of something quickly. We won't have another chance to escape until they brew another batch. Fuck!" Draco cursed.

"Our clothes! We can clog the drain with our clothes!" Persephone shouted. She started stripping off her shirt at that, but Draco pulled her blouse closed.

"Oh, no. I don't need unclean thoughts swimming around in my head too, Missy. Let me." Draco started taking his shirt off and Persephone stared. She didn't want to, but she couldn't help it. "Perhaps you should turn around," Draco said blushing. She did as he asked.

"I think I'm just feeling less desirable to Scorpius as of late and that's why I would fantasize about you taking me on a deserted beach. Oh, and also the fantasy about you tying me up and having your way with me. That one was quite erotic. I love Scorpius though. He was wrong though, you know. You do have the bigger dick, but you make the same face when you come…and when I saw you, it reminded me of how much I want to please Scorpius, and how insecure I feel about all the girls that literally _throw _themselves at him! How does your wife handle it? I mean, I'm literally green with jealousy!"

"Persephone….SHUT UP! I'm a happily married man, yet I'm still a man. You can't talk this way to a man, without doing unnatural things to him. It's involuntary, so please, stop talking about having sex with me!"

Persephone turned around at this, to see Draco standing there, in only his boxers, stuffing his clothes up the drainage chute. She blushed when she saw what Draco meant. He had a growing bulge in his pants. He turned around after he had stuffed his shirt and his shoes and his pants and his socks, up the chute. All he had left was his boxers. He ran his fingers under the waistband and then stopped.

"Persephone. Scorpius was away almost all of last year playing quidditch. You said yourself, that all the attention he receives from the girls makes you insecure. You lived in my house and I fed you and protected you, while Scorpius was away. This is why you had the fantasies. I cared for you, when you felt insecure and alone. It's misplaced appreciation is all you are feeling. Does that make sense?" Persephone threw her arms around Draco's neck and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you! You are so right! I really want to screw Scorpius. I mean I really, really want to feel him inside me. I want to feel the warmth and the love that only he gives me. Oh thank you Mr. Malfoy! I don't want you!" Draco pried the girls arms off his neck, feeling like she was entirely too close to him in such a vulnerable state of undress.

"I'm glad we established that. Now strip."

Persephone's eyes went wide.

"What?"

"Take your clothes off. Neither of us want to have mad passionate sex on a beach and I won't be tying you up. I reserve that for my wife," Draco mumbled the last part under his breath. "So strip. I don't have enough clothes to clog the drain sufficiently and we don't have time to stand here and discuss it. Take your clothes off and hand them to me. I can wedge them up the chute," Draco said turning his eyes away from the girl.

Persephone began to remove her clothes article by article, handing them to Draco. He stuffed them up the chute and kept holding his hand out for the next piece. When Persephone got down to only her bra and panties she stopped.

"I need one more article of clothing. That should seal the chute and cause an explosion above when it can't drain."

"Mr. Malfoy…Which do you want, my bra or panties?" Draco beat his fist on the pipe in frustration. He couldn't imagine a more fucked up situation, then having to tell his son's beloved wife to take either her bra or panties off. It felt, perverted and sick. So, he did the only thing he could do. He removed his boxers while Persephone gaped. He shoved them up the chute and then a few seconds later the potion began to drain. The clog in the chute held and suddenly the walls began to shake. The rock around them began to crumble and fall as the ceiling above began to give way. Fertility potion was raining down on them, as a loud hum turned into an ear deafening roar. Draco lost his footing and fell on his back as pebbles and stones fell on him. A giant explosion knocked Persephone onto Draco, where he found himself laying completely naked underneath his daughter in law, who was scantily clad. The ceiling continued to cave in and Draco could see a rather large hole forming above them, as larger chunks began to fall.

"This is wrong on so many levels. I'm sorry," Draco murmured as he wrapped his arms around Persephone tightly. In one swift move, he rolled the girl over, just as the huge boiler came crashing down next to them, leaving a gaping hole in the ceiling above. He was now laying over his daughter in law. "That was entirely too close," he whispered, before springing off the girl and helping her to her feet.

"I thought for a moment…I…Uhhh…You just saved my life! That would have flattened me!"

"No time. Come on. We have to get out of here!" Draco ran to where the hole in the ceiling was. He held his hand out to Persephone and she grabbed it. There was no time to explain, the entire cell was going to be buried in rubble, so he did what he needed to do without asking for permission. He heaved the girl into his arms and lifted her above his head. Her legs flailed as Draco heaved her up onto his shoulders. He was now face to face with a pair of pink lace panties, and he turned his head to side as to avoid looking at her.

"I'm going to grab your legs and push. You have to pull yourself up through the hole. Ready?"  
"Yeah, hold on let me get my hand…" Draco couldn't wait. He could smell fire. He shoved her as hard as he could and was relieved when he saw the girl catapulted through the hole in the floor. She leaned over the hole from above.

"How are you going to get up?" Draco jumped and caught on by two fingers. He swung and then pulled himself up, his arms scraping against the jagged rock. He was naked and cut and bleeding, but alive. The store burst into flames, the fire sweeping to the potions pantry where another explosion occurred. Draco grabbed Persephone's hand and dove for the door of the apothecary, just as the explosion rocketed the entire shop. Ash and soot and foul smelling potions continued to burn as the naked pair found themselves lying on the ground in Diagon Alley, with a crowd of bystanders gazing on. Thankfully, his noticeable and recognizable blond head was disguised by the ash and soot that covered their bodies. Draco stood up; naked as the day he was born, and wrapped his arms around Persephone once again.

_POP_

They landed on the terrace of Serenity. Draco immediately reached for the white linen table cloth, where the Malfoy's ate their breakfast on nice warm spring and summer days. He ripped it in half and wrapped the cloth around his waist, before draping the other half around Persephone, just as Hermione and the rest of the Malfoy's appeared.

"Oh Draco!" Hermione threw her arms around her husband. She held his head in her hands and kissed his lips tenderly. "I was so worried. I was frantic! What…where are your clothes?"

"Sapphire? What happened? Why are you naked?" Scorpius said drawing his wife into his chest.

Review!?

Have to stop here for now! Silly chapter but fun nonetheless. Hope you liked it! I got sooooo sunburned!


	12. Making Up for Lost Time

Broomsticks and the Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 12

"I can and will explain, but right now Persephone and I need to take a shower." Scorpius scowled at his Father and Hermione looked at him baffled.

"Separately! Minds out of the gutter Malfoy's! We have fertility potion allover our bodies."

"Uhhmm," Narcissa piped in. "Have you forgotten about he Press? They should be arriving soon."

Hermione briefly explained about Scorpius's press conference as she escorted Draco upstairs to the shower. Scorpius and Persephone trailed them, hand in hand, up the staircase as well.

"If they show up before we are down, just tell them to wait," Scorpius called back to his grandmother.

"Narcissa might hex Rita Skeeter's titt's off if we don't hurry," Hermione commented to Draco.

"It would be an improvement," Draco said in a husky voice as he stepped into the shower. Hermione stood next to the shower door and watched the lascivious blurred images of her husband in the shower. The thought of Persephone in her underwear and Draco completely naked ran through Hermione's head. She trusted her husband, but there were several questions that begged to be answered by him.

"So, Persephone…She's a sweet girl isn't she?" Hermione said through the shower door. She heard a sigh from Draco.

"Yes, she's very honest too. Very honest and quite smart."

"Yeah I think so too. Scorpius did well by choosing her to be his wife. Don't you think?"

"Yes, I think he did. Later though, we need to have a talk with Scorpius."

"Everything okay?"

"I dunno yet. I hope so."

"So, Persephone, she's a bit like me isn't she?"

"Mmmhmm. Although, she's a bit more bold then you were at her age, in certain arenas anyways."

"So…" Hermione paused. She didn't want to sound insecure, but she found herself wondering if there were any truth to the Daily Prophet article. She didn't think so, yet doubts clouded her mind. "Draco I was never good at beating around the bush. Did you, I mean, you were naked and…She is quite a lot like me…I guess what I'm trying to ask is…" Hermione bit her lip and cursed under her breath. Suddenly the shower door opened and a hand shot out and yanked Hermione by the arm. He closed the door and Hermione was overcome with the vision of Draco, standing in a steam-filled shower. He had rivulets of water cascading down his lean muscular frame. His hair was wet and droplets of water beaded on his forehead. His eyes looked like light grey storm clouds and Hermione felt her knees go weak.

"Don't even say what it is you were about to say…You know better. She isn't that much like you." He pushed Hermione up against the wall and began to peel her wet clothes off. Her shirt was removed, and replaced by his mouth, as his tongue ran down her body. He knelt and nibbled on her stomach for a moment, kissing and biting, his teeth scraping across her soft skin. He removed her skirt and then stopped to admire the light blue bikini panties Hermione was wearing. His mind briefly flashed on Persephone in her pink undies, but what Draco saw before him now, was not anything even remotely the same. What he was looking at now, was all woman, _his _woman. He slipped the remaining garment down his wife's toned legs and then stood to face her. "Only ever you…" He whispered in her ear as his hand penetrated her below. Hermione let out a small moan and Draco smirked. He loved hearing his wife moan. Her hand fell to his erection and she began to lightly stroke him. Their bodies embraced, Draco sucking on her neck, while Hermione bit into his shoulder at feeling his warm fingers thrusting into her. Several jets of water sprayed them in the large shower. The shower itself could be converted to a steam room, as built in tiled benches lined the walls of the expensive shower that had gold fixtures thoughout. Draco sat down on one of the benches and pulled Hermione onto him. His tongue swirled into the hot cavern of her mouth and Hermione returned his intensity, his kiss igniting a fire under her. She positioned herself over him, to take what she desperately wanted, but Draco wrapped a tight arm around her waist and then spun her around so her back was facing him. He slid down on the bench slightly and then Hermione straddled him, knowing exactly what Draco wanted her to do. He pushed her hips down over him and Hermione yelped at feeling him fill her so completely. Draco groaned in her ear and then leaned her back so her back lay against his chest, her legs straddling him. He bucked upwards into her and she arched her back pushing herself down over him at the same time. He bit down on her neck and Hermione felt familiar tingles overcome her. His arms were around her torso, stroking her skin, his fingertips dancing across her hot, wet body. Draco began to whisper such dirty things in her ear that Hermione blushed as he penetrated her again and again. Their rapture continued until Draco stopped and lifted Hermione off him. She whined at the loss, but he just smirked and stood up.

"Put your palms against the wall," he commanded her. Hermione did as she was told. Draco was then behind her, nibbling at her ear. "Spread your legs wide, Sweetpea." He smoothed his hands down her arms and over her hands where he raised them high on the shower wall, his hands pressed firmly against hers, pinning her to the wall. He moved in behind her forcefully. She felt his hard cock between her legs, his tip rubbing against her inner thighs and then finally it found its mark and Draco thrust himself into her hard.

"You want my cock all to yourself?" Draco said in her ear as he rammed into her.

"Yes," Hermione moaned. His fingers were clasped in hers as he fucked her against the shower wall.

"I didn't hear that. Say it louder."

"Yes," Hermione said a little louder. Draco rolled his hips into her again and again, her wetness now dripping down his manhood as he gave it to her harder and faster.

"Louder. Don't say it like a church mouse. I can't hear you Granger." Hermione always got off when he called her Granger. She figured it was something perverted and disturbing, since he used to call her Granger during a time in her life when he was less then nice to her, but she didn't care. She loved it when Draco was dominant with her in their lovemaking. He was her King and she was his naughty little mistress and she wanted to please him. There was time to be his queen later. For now, she was his sex slave.

"Oh, Draco, fuck me."

"That's better. Tell me how you want to be fucked by me," he said in such a hot sultry tone that Hermione felt a gush of wetness from her nether regions.

"Hard. Give me everything you got," Hermione replied. She thought she felt Draco's body tremble at her words. She would have been right, for hearing his wife say that was damn near too much to take. He almost came right then and there. He rose to the challenge however, and captured her body up against the wall of the shower. His whole body was pressed against her back as he forcefully thrust into her.

"Oh fuck yeah," Draco moaned as he thrust harder into her, his length buried deeply inside her hot wetness. He couldn't take it anymore and he pulled her off the wall and pushed her head down. Hermione grappled at the benches to hold herself up, her legs spread eagled and her head bent over. He took her harder then she had ever felt him inside her. He was ramming himself wildly into her, one hand on the small of her back and the other between her legs stroking her most sensitive regions.

"I love you Dragon," Hermione shouted. Those words were followed by encouragement and then the sweet sounds of Hermione's orgasm. Draco's lost it too and came, filling her body with his seed.

"Nobody is like you Hermione…Nobody."

.

.

Meanwhile…….

"Why were you naked with my dad?" Scorpius said trapping his wife against the bathroom sink.

"Rasputin…dungeon…potion drain…clogged the drain with our clothes…BOOM!" This seemed to be enough of an explanation for Scorpius, because he practically mauled her. His hands ripping the soot covered bra off.

"Stop that! You're scaring me Scorpius," Sapphire smiled cheekily.

"Bullshit, you little vixen. Don't you ever leave me again. Do you hear me?" Scorpius said stripping his shirt off. Sapphire let her fingers rake over Scorpius's body. He ripped her panties away and then picked his wife up, her legs wrapping themselves around his waist. He carried her to the bath that was drawn and gently placed her into the tub. He rubbed a fair amount of shampoo into his palms and then smoothed it onto her hair. Persephone moaned at this touch. When he was done washing her hair he took the washcloth and began to wipe the grime and potion from her skin. She couldn't believe how sensual he was being. This was definitely a new to side to the normally boisterous and rough Scorpius Malfoy. When she was thoroughly clean, he drained the tub and then watched as his towel cladded wife licked her lips, dropped her towel and then squealed as she ran into their bedroom. Scorpius darted off after her. She ran around the bed and he gave chase, finally capturing her and tickling her until she gave in and relented to his touch.

"I love you. I want to make love to you."

"I love you too. I'll help you get through this drug thing. Have you stopped taking it?" Scorpius looked down and his face dropped.

"No. Though, I'm weaning myself off of it. Taking just enough so I don't have to feel the withdrawals. I'm sorry this happened…I feel, ashamed." Persephone put her fingers over his lips to shush him.

"So Scorpius Malfoy isn't perfect all of the time. Nobody is babe. We will get through this together. That's what married people do. Right?"

"I'm your husband…I'm supposed to be good to you and protect you and…"

"Make love to me?" She said unbuckling his pants. He plunged his lips down over hers and giggling and moaning could be heard as they sunk into the covers and made sweet love to one another.

They barely even heard the knocks as Narcissa told them that the press conference was set to begin and that the reporters had all arrived.

.

.

The Press conference went well. Scorpius was a natural when it came to speaking in public. He carried the same graceful enthusiasm that Draco did. Draco watched with pride as his son handled the press like a pro. By the end of the press conference he had them eating out of his hand. Persephone was smiling at his side, just like Hermione made quite a spectacle of being very touchy feely with Draco. It was obvious by the time they all left with their quills moving a mile a minute and their juicy stories in hand, that Scorpius had owned them.

Draco and Hermione had a talk with Scorpius about his drug use and he swore to his entire family that he was making an honest effort to get off the potion. Luke eyed him cautiously, but remained quiet and hoped that is bother was for real. He thought he was. Scorpius had never been much of a liar. He didn't have to, because he would tell anyone to their face exactly what he thought of them.

"That brings me to you Luke. I need a favor, if you're up to it." Draco put his arm around Luke and lured him into the library, away from the Malfoy's and Luna and her kids.

"I was going over your findings with Blaise and…"

"Luke, stop. I need to know just how good you are at Potion making."

"Better then you. I mean you're good Dad, but I'm better," Luke said without any hesitancy. Draco loved that about his son. He was confidant in his skills and even though some could view that as being pretentious, he knew it would serve Luke well in the future. Draco had high hopes for his youngest son.

"That's exactly the answer I wanted to hear. Can you work backwards though?" Draco asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…I need to know the exact ingredients in Ancients Apothecary fertility potion. I have a theory that I want to test out. So can you do it?"

"Yeah, I mean it's hard and it takes time. Lots of trial and error, but I can do it. I'd need to work in the lab though, and that would mean missing classes at Hogwarts."

"Don't worry about that. I'll tell McGonagall its official Ministry business and that nobody is to know. I could have a student or teacher bring you your assignments to the Potions store in Hogsmeade, while you're in the lab. Would that work?"

"Yes, that's brilliant Dad. I would have to trust the person though…and…I trust Lily Potter." Draco almost laughed at that.

"You want me to ask McGonagall if Lily Potter can be the one to bring you your assignments?"

"Could you?"

"Yes," Draco clapped Luke on the back. "Bottom, drawer of my desk. Your mother must have put it in there," Draco said leaving the room. Luke looked at him on confusion but opened the bottom drawer anyway. There was a stack of old photographs. He fumbled through them until he came to the picture of he and Lily kissing in the baby pool. Luke smiled and slipped it into his robes. He scribbled two letter's on Draco's official Ministry stationary and then addressed it to Damien Stratton and the second one to Drew Weasley, before apparrating out of Serenity.

.

.

"I hate to rush this, but its time for Luna to go," Harry Potter said with a nauseated Ginny at his side. Harry had a protective arm around Ginny and Hermione could see the sympathy playing across his face as Ginny repeatedly ran to the bathroom, morning sickness that lasted damn near all day, overcoming her again.

"Can you give us a minute Potter?" Blaise asked, leading Luna out of the family room. He looked so sad and Draco was mulling things over in his head at seeing Blaise's response. Hermione was rummaging through the potions pantry that was just off the kitchen, for some medicine to give Ginny for her morning sickness. Since she never got morning sickness with any of her three pregnancies, she didn't know if they had any on hand. She called Draco over to help her look finally after she'd exhausted her fruitless search.

"Dragon, where's the potion for morning sickness?"

"We don't make one Hermione. Everyone knows that if you sprinkle a little ginger in your tea though it's supposed to help. Pregnant women shouldn't really take potions unless it's absolutely necessary," Draco quipped.

"Don't worry about it Hermione. I brought some with me, if I could just find it in this bottomless bag of mine. I swear to gods I need to clean out my purse," Ginny huffed as she rifled through her purse. "Will wonders never cease, here it is!" Ginny pulled out a small vial of _Ancient's Apothecary's Bun in the Oven Morning Indigestion Potion_ and began to tip it back top drink it. Draco lunged at Ginny Potter and snatched it from her hands.

"Draco Malfoy, you give me that back!"

"No. How much of this have you taken?"

"None, yet! I was just about to, when you nearly bowled me over and took it. I know it's not your brand name, but my friends swear by this stuff!" Ginny reached out for it again but Harry slapped her hand down.

"Harry? What are you doing? I need that potion! You try throwing up all day and night and see how bloody awful you feel." Draco dropped the potion in a small pouch and then exited to the terrace. Ginny followed him and then came back inside fuming mad.

"Hermione! Your husband just gave my morning sickness potion to an owl! I just watched it fly away." Ginny ran to the bathroom at that and vomited again. Hermione looked at Draco oddly and then followed Ginny into the bathroom, to hold her hair back like any good friend would do.

"You think that potion has something to do with the squibs, don't you?" Harry said. Harry wasn't one to miss things like that, and he could tell by Draco's hurriedness and refusal to give Ginny the potion back, that he was onto something.

"Picked up on that did you? Maybe you're aren't a complete idiot after all," Draco smirked. "I have Luke analyzing some of Ancient's Apothecary's potions. It's just a hunch at this point."

"So, don't let Ginny take any potions made by them?"

"Don't let Ginny take _any_ potions Potter. I didn't let Hermione take anything when she was pregnant. Better to be safe then sorry."

"Thanks for that. That's really demented though for somebody to mess with a potion like that."

"Well, not everybody is The Chosen One like you Potter. I swear you Gryffindor's…" Draco mumbled. "Where will you take Luna and the kids?"

"I'd rather not tell you Malfoy. It's nothing personal, it's just the way I do things. They will be safe though."

"This is my sister and her kids, well, especially Jessie, not that I don't enjoy the twins as well…I…I'll kill you if you let anything happen to her. I don't know how else to say it…" Draco said with steely eyes.

"I don't think you _could _kill me Malfoy, even if you wanted to, but I understand what you're saying, even if it was terribly rude to threaten to kill a guest in your home," Harry laughed and Draco smirked.

"You're my wife's guest…not mine," Draco said with a genuine smile. He and Harry had a bizarre relationship. They were still fiercely competitive, yet underneath it all, they were friends. It wasn't something either of them talked about, yet they knew what the deal was. It was actually quite an honest friendship, with little or no pretense, if not a little strange. "I'm sending Blaise along with Luna. I don't think I will have to do much arm twisting to get him to go either. I'm quite sure he's shagging her on my desk right now in the library. It makes me feel better to know that he will be with her and the kids. He's a capable wizard." Harry nodded as if it was alright if Blaise came along for protection and support.

"Excuse me," Draco said, when he saw Jessie out on the terrace blowing bubbles with a bubble wand.

.

.

"Look Uncle Draco, I'm a real witch and this is my wand!"

"I see that! Who gave you this?"

"Uncle Blaise did. He's not my real uncle, but Mummy said I should call him that," the girl whispered before plopping down on Draco's lap.

"I see. Jessie, did your Mummy tell you that you will be leaving?"

"She said we was going to a big land where no bad men will try to hurt us again."

"That's right. You will get to go to school and meet friends and Uncle Draco will buy you lots and lots of toys!"

"Will I go to a witch and wiz wiz wiz…" she couldn't get the word out, so Draco helped her.

"Wizard. Watch my mouth when I say the word and do what Uncle Draco's lips do," he said. The girl tried but couldn't do it and finally Jessie grabbed her own lips and tried to physically force them to move the way Draco's did, but to no avail. Draco scooped the girl up into his arms and hugged her. She laid her head on his shoulder and clung tightly to his neck.

"Will I go to one of those wiz schools like my brothers?" Draco let out a deep sigh. He knew he had to be truthful with her, but it was just such a shame. She would always struggle with the fact that she didn't have any magical powers when the rest of her family did. It would be easier in America and Draco knew she had to go, but he couldn't imagine not feeling her hugs and seeing her bright shining face.

"No Jessie, you will go to a muggle school."

"Did you go to a muggle school?"

"No…But your Auntie Hermione did for a while."

"What do they do in muggle school?" the little girl asked.

"They…do… muggle things," Draco said. He knew it was a lame answer, but he honestly didn't know what they did.

"They do painting and spelling and learning to read and then more painting and coloring and at lunch they play kickball," Hermione said as she breezed out the door and onto the terrace, sitting down next to Draco and Jessie with baby Jillian in her arms.

"That sounds fun…I guess," Jessie said warily.

"I loved muggle school. You will love it too, Jessie. You'll see."

"But can I come visit you?" Hermione looked at Draco and she could see the pain and worry lines on his face. Hermione handed Draco the baby and took Jessie onto her lap. Draco walked away, bouncing his daughter in his arms. He hugged the baby to his chest and kissed her head, thankful that she wasn't a squib. He felt horrible for thinking it too, but he didn't want Jillian's life to be so difficult as Jessie's life would assuredly be.

.

.

Luke sat in the Malfoy's potions store and waited. He knew there was a trip to Hogsmeade for the fourth through seventh year students. He could see kids mulling about outside as he poured the vial of fertility potion into separate small bowls, preparing to separate the potion and take it back to its natural ingredients. It was time consuming, but Luke loved potions and everything to do with potions, so this was actually fun to him. Yet, his thoughts were also on the green-eyed beauty that stole his heart. He took the childhood picture out and laid it down on the table in front of him. He wished he had a better picture of the two of them together, but it would have to suffice for now. He noticed the way he was firmly holding Lily's arms as he kissed her. He didn't understand how his four year old self has more guts and confidence with girls then his almost fifteen year old self did. The bell on the door rang and Luke looked up. It was too early for Drew or Damien to show up. He had arranged a meeting between the two of them, sending letters to both of them, requesting they meet him here at the shop in Hogsmeade. So Luke was surprised when he saw Lily's sunny face entering through the shop. He then remembered his father and thanked Draco under his breath.

"I should take a picture of this," Lily said. At hearing that word Luke casually slid the picture of the two of them, under one of the potions catalogs he had strewn across the table, where he worked.

"And why is that?"

"Because it's just odd seeing Luke Malfoy brewing potions. He's the worst in the class you know?" Lily winked before setting his books down. "You know you owe me right?" She took a seat next to him and leaned her elbows on the table.

"Oh? How so?" Luke smirked at the girl.

"For carrying all these bloody books for you! You need to enroll in dumber classes. They have lighter books. Or at least stop doing your homework. Do you know how hard it was to carry this load all the way from Hogwarts?" Lily said turning her back to Luke and tapping her shoulder with her hand.

"Well, thank you. So what do I owe you for being my packhorse?"

"A massage. Come on then. I can barely move my neck." Lily tapped her shoulder again and Luke's heart sped up. He carefully moved her soft silky hair to the side, being careful not to pull a single strand. He was now staring at her neck and all he wanted to do was bury his face into her, smell her hair and kiss that perfect neck of hers. Instead, he kneaded her shoulders, his thumbs applying gentle but firm pressure. Lily let out a nearly inaudible sigh, but it was enough that Luke heard it. She reached across the table for some reading material while Luke massaged her shoulders and neck, when something fell on the floor. She immediately bent to pick it up, apologizing for knocking something of his on the floor. Luke was so into giving the massage, the feel of her soft skin on his hands, it didn't occur to him what it might be. He had forgotten all about the picture.

"Oh my gods! Where did you get this?" Lily spun in her chair to face Luke, waving the picture in her hand in front of his face. He blushed. He snatched the picture and shoved it into one of the many books Lily had brought for him. "I love it! You are so cute when you're embarrassed," she said laying a hand on his cheek. She could feel slight razor stubble as Luke had been shaving for well over a year now. They stared into each other's eyes and both were temporarily lost. Lily finally broke off the gaze and jumped from her seat.

"Come on. I have an idea."

"Oh, I have a couple friends meeting me here in a bit."

"Come on Luke. This won't take long. Trust me!" Luke jumped out of his seat and left through the door with Lily.

"Where are we going?"

"Honeydukes!"

"I don't have much of a sweet tooth."

"You will like this, I promise," Lily giggled. She led him through Honeydukes. Students were shopping for delectable sweets, stuffing their robes with yummy candies. She led him to the back of the store, where Luke tilted his head in confusion at what he saw. There was a small red curtain and some kind of a booth.

"I forgot to bring money. Do you have a gold galleon?" She held out her hand as if not bothered at all by the gesture. Lily was Harry Potter's daughter and like Luke, she had money, so spending one galleon on something didn't even phase her. It didn't phase Luke either, though he had learned a valuable lesson in America about budgeting money, when he was on his own and on the run. He dropped a handful of galleons into her hand. Lily popped the galleon into the slot and then disappeared behind the curtain. "Well come on then, it's about to start!"

Luke pushed through the curtain and sat down next to Lily.

"So what do you want?" There were numerous buttons in front of them and Lily began to read them aloud.

"Field of daisies, or a rainbow? Bit girly huh?" Luke was interested by this strange contraption. "How about this one…Lord and lady. I dunno what it will look like, but let's try it anyway!" Luke pressed the button that said Lord and Lady and suddenly they were standing in front of a mansion with wide sweeping grounds. He was dressed in elegant robes and she was wearing a scarlet dress with a corset and flowing train. A little wizard stood in front of them with an old-fashioned camera and told them to smile.

"Uhhh," Luke looked at Lily, and she reached out and touched his face again. He knew immediately what she wanted by the way her eyes glazed over and she licked her lips. He wrapped his arms around her and tilted her head back and allowed his lips to brush against hers. Lily melted under him and returned his kiss with an innocent but smoldering fire. He could taste her soft plump lips, he could smell her vanilla scented hair and Luke in an effort to quench his desire, opened his mouth and slipped his tongue into her mouth.

_SNAP_

"Thank you, come again," the little wizard said, handing them a picture. Suddenly they were back in the booth again at Honeydukes.

Review!?

This took a bit to write, was a really long chapter. I'm thinking 3 maybe 4 chapters left is all and possibly an epilogue. If I decide to write another Broomsticks story then I won't include the epilogue…Just not sure at this point, if this will be the last or if there will be one more. I love the reviews you all leave! Thank you so much! I will properly thank you all in future chapters.


	13. From Prince to Pauper

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 13

Draco rolled over on Hermione in their bed and propped himself up on his elbows over top of her.

"So, are you going to take me to The Gauntlet tonight?"

Hermione's face dropped.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm going shopping for baby clothes with Ginny tonight." Draco scowled and Hermione withdrew.

"Still at that are we?"

"Just kiss me and stop all this talk. You could end up in Azkaban Draco. I have nightmares about you being there."

"You never mentioned any nightmares."

"Well it's not something you talk about over breakfast, now is it?"

"I suppose not, yet, you don't have to protect me Hermione. I'm a big boy."

Hermione smiled and reached down between the sheets and found what she wanted. "I'll say you're a big boy."

"You're changing the subject," Draco said, his voice shaking as he shivered at her touch.

"Draco I'm meeting Ginny in a few minutes. Is this how you want to spend our last few minutes together?" Draco thought about it and decided he could think of far better things to do. He threw the sheet over their heads and growled, before pinning Hermione to the bed. He could have no idea that these images of his giggling wife, frolicking in bed with him, her tender touch so loving and so right, would be the only thing he had left by the end of the night. How could he? Perhaps if he had listened to Hermione…but he didn't.

.

.

The house was empty. Hermione was gone. Luke was back at Hogwarts and working in the lab during his days. Scorpius and Persephone had boarded the train back to school. Jillian was with Narcissa at The Manor. Narcissa welcomed the baby, at every opportunity because she was dreadfully lonely without Lucius, and with only a house elf to keep her company. No word from Lucius. Draco didn't worry too much though. Lucius was as resourceful as they came. He was probably deep undercover anyways, so Draco did not bother sending an owl to check on his progress. He knew Lucius wouldn't return without the information he desperately needed. Even if he was able to prove that Ancient's potions were infecting pregnant women with one of their many baby line potions, he still had to be able to tie Raspodin (who claimed he was related to Rasputin) to the company. He had all his ducks in a row. Blaise had gone with Luna and her kids. It had been a sullen moment for Draco, having to say goodbye to his best friend and his sister all at the same time. Nevermind the kids. When he said goodbye to Jessie, she refused to let go of him. He finally whispered in her ear that he would see her in a few hours—that he was going to see her safely out of Britain. Jessie smiled and made him promise. There was no turning back after making that promise to the cute little girl. He was going to The Gauntlet. Not only that, he was going to win the whole damn thing! He would not leave Luna to the mercy of some git, that Harry Potter picked. He saw how pathetic Wood had performed. If Harry and Hermione actually thought that he wouldn't show up, then they really were naïve Gryffindors…but Draco was a Slytherin, then and now. He had every intention of going, so he dressed in black once again, slipped on his boots and cast disillusion charms over himself as disguise. He pulled the diamond and onyx mask down over his eyes and looked at his wedding band. Last time he had taken off, so that Hermione wouldn't recognize it. This time he left it on…He wasn't going to lie to her. If she noticed him, then she noticed him. Three apparitions later and Draco was at Loch Lyon, the site of The Wizard's Gauntlet and from what he could get out of Hermione, which wasn't much, Harry's new home. He wondered where the house was. Harry had no doubt set up wards and enchantments to block the house from view. He wondered if Jessie was in there and if she was scared being in a new place. He wondered if Harry had the house stocked with food and towels and all the things little Jessie was used to at Serenity. He doubted it, but he was hopeful, since he knew Ginny and he were back together.

Draco spotted Blaise almost immediately. He was standing with a bunch of Gryffindor's who were all preparing to run the Gauntlet tonight. Draco approached a man and was shocked when he got closer and could see that it was Neville Longbottom. He listened into his conversation with the other man who spoke with an Irish accent.

"I dun really care 'bout the squibs so much. I just want to run the gauntlet, Neville," the masked Irishman said. Draco recognized his voice. It was that ruddy Seamus Finnegan.

"I don't like that Dimitri Raspodin. Pansy left me because of him. He's not a good wizard. She started spouting off all that rubbish that 'You Know Who' used to preach about dirty blood."

"Who gives a flying fuck who the Minister is. Draco Malfoy isn't much better. They're all corrupt in politics. That Gauntlet though…I just know I'm going to win.Bet me mate at the pub that I'd at least place third or better." Draco nearly laughed. Seamus would probably make it to the flying course and then he would light his eyebrows or his hair on fire like he used to back in school. That was, if he wasn't killed by the swinging pendulums first.

"I dunno, I rather like Malfoy now. Hermione really changed him. He seems softer now, and nicer." Seamus laughed at that and Draco huffed. Softer? I mean, he wasn't making fun of Longbottom anymore or calling him names, but Draco was hardly soft. "The laws he's passed have really been good for the environment. If it wasn't for him, the Forbidden Forest might be a shopping mall."

"He did build a shopping mall though, right in my bloody backyard!" Seamus piped in as he stretched and dropped down to do a few push-ups, like he saw other wizards doing. He could barely do even one though.

"Pathetic," Draco said aloud to Seamus, before tapping Blaise on the shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"Draco? Wow, I can't really focus on you. Nice charm work there. Yeah, I don't trust these idiots to take Luna and the kids along. So, I'm going to attempt it."

"Blaise…You're going with her anyway. You'll be there. You don't need to get yourself hurt before your journey. I got it covered, don't worry." Blaise looked at him with a smile.

"You're going to run it?"

"You bet Neville's fat arse I'm going to run it. I don't trust Potter to pick someone good enough. Besides, it looks fun."

.

.

"Don't take it Scorpius. Just try it without it. I'll be here for you," Persephone muttered from Scorpius's bed in the Slytherin dorm. He had threatened to hex anyone that complained about a girl being in the boys' dorms and then he had closed the curtains to his bed while Sapphire cast silencing charms around the bed. Hogwarts was just not set up for married couples, and Sapphire hated Ravnclaw, so she wasn't about to bring her husband into her dorm. She worried that one of the girls would try something anyways, like casting a love spell or…worse.

"My whole body hurts when I don't take it and my head is so foggy. I'm only taking a small dose Sapphire."

"Scorpius…Please. My Professor said I had an aptitude for being a healer. You can be my first patient!"

"Okay…but if it gets too bad, I'm taking some. I think you best hold me naked too," Scorpius said with a sly smirk.

"Naked huh? If you can get it off then you can have it," she said giggling and pulling the sheets up tight around her neck. Scorpius ripped the sheet off and mashed his body against hers, his lips finding hers.

.

.

Earlier in the day…

"Little Malfoy? Holy shit, how longs it been?" Damien Stratton said, sauntering into Draco's Potions store in Hogsmeade. "By the letter I thought I was meeting your Dad."

Damien relaxed a bit. Apparently, Damien had no recollection of Luke's fists clobbering him by the elevators of the Dragon Witch, the last time they had met.

"I hope you aren't disappointed."

"Hell no. I thought your Dad had changed his mind and was going to deport me and my Mum." Damien said and Luke chuckled. He knew how these bluebloods were, pompous and ice cool. He knew, because Luke was what you would call a blueblood as well. The Malfoy's had always been from old money too. Luke sat back in his chair and narrowed his eyes.

"So, I guess you have quite an inheritance now, since your Dad passed on. I bet you and your Mum will be buying a grand house?" If there was one thing a blueblood liked talking about more then their trophies and their conquests, it was their money.

"Have you seen your father's will?" Damien asked and Luke was taken a back. It wasn't the answer he expected.

"No."

"You should ask him to show you the bloody thing. Kiss arse if you have to now, to get it changed."

"What are you talking about Stratton?"

"I'm talking about the fact that my father cut both me and my Mum off!"

"He did? Man, that's harsh," Luke replied sincerely. "Can't you fight it though?"

Damien put his hand up and shook his head. "It's not as bad as it sounds, though Mum had to take a job at the Ministry. Your Dad gave her the job when he found out what father did to us. I get the money…with stipulations." Damien paced the shop in front of Luke.

"I don't get the money until I produce a male heir. Father had a stringent policy on birthright and continuing the Stratton line. Only problem is…finding a girl who wants to have a baby, and doesn't mind a bloke who is cash poor at the moment. Oh yeah, she has to want to give me a son too, not a daughter," Damien laughed.

"Ah, I see. Might not be so hard though."

"Luke…Nobody even knows who I am in these parts! My name is nothing here. I won't have any doors held open for me like I would have in America. I'll have to actually work! And dating…would you date me? I mean, I'm a bit of a pompous, arrogant prick, so this girl told me yesterday in some ruddy class called Divination." Luke laughed and leaned forward, intent on giving Damien a good run down of how things worked on this side of the pond, when Molly Weasley stepped through the store, with Drew and baby Arthur in tow. Drew quickly passed the baby to Molly and shot Luke a pleading look.

"Luke, uhh Damien," Drew stammered.

"Drew?" Damien said moving a step closer to Drew. Molly scowled at the boy. "This is where you're from? Yeah, now I remember. You used to always say that all the boys here were so stuffy. Well, least ya got little Malfoy. Good to see ya," Damien said casually, glancing at the little boy in Molly's arms. Molly opened her mouth to speak but just then the bell on the door of the Potions shop rang and Lily popped her head through.

Luke had left Honeydukes after having their picture taken, with a plastered smile to his face. He could barely find the words to say goodbye to Lily as they stood stock still facing each other outside the Potions store. Luke finally said that he had a meeting and Lily just looked at him, before walking off in a daze. She looked recovered now as she smiled at Luke and blushed.

"Lily?" Luke didn't have time to follow that up, because Lily put her hands over her eyes and then blurted out what she had come to ask.

"Luke, are we dating? I mean, are you my boyfriend?" At that moment, Luke was not even remotely aware of the people standing in the room. He swaggered over to Lily and reached for her hand.

"I want to be. Do you want that too?" Luke said sweetly and Lily nodded her head.

"Then…Yes. Girlfriend." Luke reached up and brought her lily-white hand to his mouth where he kissed it affectionately. Suddenly he felt eyes on him and he winked at Lily and whispered that he would see her the next time she brought his assignments. Luke spun around to find Molly about to unleash.

"So, why don't the three of you go enjoy Hogsmeade. Most of the other students have left and gone back to the castle. Drew, why not take the baby and Damien both to Honeydukes? There's a very cool machine in the back of the shop that I think you both will find fascinating. Molly I wanted to talk to you for a moment."

Damien seemed to welcome the company as he hadn't made any friends, besides Scorpius who he already knew, since arriving at Hogwarts. Drew took the baby and watched as the trio strolled down the way towards Honeydukes.

"Don't mess this up for her! Do you hear me?" Luke said to Molly who was watching them from the door.

"How dare you speak to me that way! You Malfoy's, I swear you need to learn some manners," she spat.

"No, you need to learns some manners! You treated me like filth for months, for no reason at all. I would have married Drew. You knew that too, didn't you? You just don't want to share the baby! You act as if it's your baby. It's Drew's! Best you keep that in mind, should you ever want visitation with your great grandson."

Molly opened her mouth in shock. "How dare you! You have no rights to the boy at all!"

"No, I don't, but the father of your great grandson, just walked out the door with Drew and Artie."

"That's…he's? That's the Stratton boy?"

"Indeed. So stay out of it and let them fall in love again." Molly was clamoring at the window to catch a glimpse of her granddaughter with Damien Stratton now.

"Is he a nice boy?" Molly asked.

"Not particularly…but Drew isn't the innocent girl you think she is either," Luke laughed, before declaring that he was kidding. Luke went back to his potion and ignored Molly, who sat by the door watching and waiting for Drew.

"Awww come quick and look, Luke!" Luke reluctantly made his way to the door. It felt so wrong spying on them, but he was curious how their little date was going. Damien was pushing Drew and the baby on a swing. He looked a little uncomfortable when people walked by, but when they were alone, Luke noted the genuine smile on his face. He would jump around the swing and scare the little boy in a game of peek-a-boo that the baby seemed completely enthralled with the game.

"I'm sorry I treated you the way I did. I was just protecting my granddaughter. She hasn't had the best role models as parents. I blame her mother but also…I blame my son. I know that Ron loves her dearly, and I blame his wife for not giving him the love that he needed." Luke rolled his eyes. Molly was blind when it came to her children. They could do no wrong, and he knew that would never change. Molly was about to go, when Luke opened his mouth and said the wrong thing. Though he didn't know it at the time.

"So I guess you must be excited that Harry and Ginny got back together and are having another baby?"

"What!!" Molly nearly fainted.

"Shit!" Luke mouthed as he watched the elderly Weasley fan herself, in complete shock.

.

.

Hermione stood in a flowing white gown, that Draco recognized as her wedding dress. Just seeing her in that gown brought back pleasant memories. Over her gown, she wore a red cloak and on her face, this time she wore a diamond and ruby mask. Harry was dressed differently too. He guessed that they must have changed their outfits for each Gauntlet, much like a chameleon. It seemed like something the paranoid Harry Potter would do to throw people off their trail. If it hadn't of been for his wife's bushy hair, Even he might not have figured out who they were.

Harry stepped up to speak to the crowds, when one completely inebriated wizard got in Harry's face.

"I know who ye are! You're Draco Malfoy! You're the reason I had to spend two weeks in hospital!" The wizard turned to the crowd now and ranted. "I worked at a squib shop and a bunch of you fecking arseholes and criminals, threw stones at me and my employer when we were delivering one of the filthy squibs to a client! Well, Draco Malfoy and all of you's can rot in bloody hell!" He pulled something from a black bag he conjured with his wand and then suddenly the Loch was filled with an ear piercing screeching sound. Draco saw witches and wizards close to the man quickly conjur earplugs and Draco did the same, as he couldn't tell from his vantage point, just what the drunk wizard had produced from the bag, but he wouldn't take a chance. Harry leapt on the thing and ran with it, throwing it into the cold dark waters of the loch, before brushing his hands off and returning to the crowds.

"You idiot! That was a teenage mandrake plant! You could have killed someone, or made them very, very sick."

"I wanted to kill you Draco Malfoy! You have ruined my livelihood!" One witch in the pack was on her knees and Hermione was kneeling down next to the witch, patting her hand and soothing her cries.

"Neville, can you get him out of here? Don't take your wand off him either. I'll deal with him later." Draco watched the scene unfold with amused curiosity. He didn't care if the bloody bastard's livelihood was ruined when Draco first proposed the controversial new squib laws and many of Draco's supporters had protested against the squib shops. The shops were still running, so he suspected this wizards drinking problem played more of a part in his losing his job then some stone throwing protestors event. Besides, he didn't care. They were slave traders and they deserved to pay a hefty price.

Neville looked at Harry and Draco and saw knowing on his face. At least one wizard besides Draco knew who the master of ceremonies was. Everyone was about to find out after what Hermione did next. She charged the drunk wizard and threw off her mask for all the crowd to see.

"Look you slimy little cock roach! How dare you threaten to kill my husband. He is a good and honest man. He is decent, and kind and he cares about all of you! He would probably take pity on you, but I won't!" (Nope, Draco would not take pity on him either) Hermione was sticking her finger into the wizard's chest repeatedly, as she pushed him backwards. "I just want to…." Hermione said pulling back her fist, before Harry Potter pulled her off the wizard.

"Neville, please get him out of here!" Harry said in frustration as Hermione struggled to break free of his grip. "And you! Stop it!" he shouted at Hermione and she stopped writhing in his grip. Harry let go and shot Hermione a 'here goes nothing look' before ripping his mask off.

"Hear me now!" Harry shouted and the crowd gasped at seeing 'The Chosen One'. "We are all here to run the Gauntlet. I will be running it tonight too! Now, do I have any takers?" Almost every hand shot up at that. To compete against Harry Potter, the chosen one, the wizard who defeated Voldemort, was too great a thrill and Harry finally got what he wanted—some real competition.  
"Harry, there's too many people! We will be here all night," Hermione said. Harry agreed. There must have been twenty to thirty wizards wanting the chance of putting up a better time then Harry Potter. People were whispering about Hermione and Harry too, which pissed Draco off. He wanted to take his mask off, but Blaise held his shoulder and told him, no. All it would take is one bad wizard to see him and turn him in.

"Thank you all for volunteering. In order to save on time we are going to run this five at a time. The rules are, well, there are no rules, just get to the end first with the best time!"

Draco watched with the rest of the others, and more then once Hermione looked at him. Draco began to get a little nervous when she started to stare at him. Disillusion or no disillusion, Hermione was his wife and she knew him better then anyone. He really didn't want a scene to occur, so he blended into the pack. The first set of wizards failed miserably. They all five ended up in a scrap heap in the devil's snare and Harry had to pull their tangled bodies out, while Hermione used her wand to release the others. Harry was laughing though, finding it all tremendously hilarious. He was surprised they made it past the pendulums, the way they all took blows to the head, but somehow managed to balance on the thin plank.

Only two of the second group made it past the maze to the flying course. Draco noticed that one was Seamus Finnegan, and the other one of his Slytherin mates from his Hogwarts days, Marcus Flint, and pretty dirty quidditch player back in his day. Draco cringed when he saw what Flint was about to do to Seamus, as they approached one of the smaller fire rings. Seamus was looking at the clue inside the ring, instead of looking at Flint, which is where his eyes should have been. Flint rammed him at the last second as they flew neck in neck and then _poof_, Seamus's hair caught on fire. Harry was already anticipating this, as was Draco and he doused him rather quickly with a jet of water from his wand, but Seamus had a smoking bald spot by the time it was all over with.

Oliver Wood was back from a successful trip, escorting Theo Nott and family and he was riding high. He was in the second to last group of wizards, and he was in the lead. Harry growled and Hermione prayed he would fall off his broom or something, anything, to avoid having to deal with Wood again. Harry started warming up when he saw Wood entering the tunnel caves. He half suspected that it might be a long wait, and it was, as predicted. Harry waved his hand to signal the last group of wizards, with Wood still inside the caves. He wasn't going to wait for Wood to figure out the clues again, not with the crowd growing restless and eager for the festivities to begin.

Draco mixed into the crowd of five. Harry was standing at the front and Draco at the back of the pack. He turned around and stared at Hermione and smiled and she put her hand over her mouth, as if she finally had her recognition. The warning shot was fired and the contestants were off!

Review!?

I know I left ya at a bit of a cliffy here…I am continuing to write and will put the next chapter up as soon as I finish it. It's all Bill's fault though for distracting me with his sexiness. Gotta love boyfriends!


	14. Broomsticks and Fairies

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 14

The Wizards Gauntlet was in full swing! Harry was the first to make it across the thin elevated plank, as he made sure to be first at the start line. In retrospect, Draco wished he would have started first, instead of dead last, because he had to contend with the ignorant Gilderoy Lockhart type wizard's. In fact, now that he looked, he was quite sure that the one who was swinging from one of the pendulums and screaming like a girl _was_ Lockhart. He ducked under him and carefully stepped across the plank, waiting and watching for the split second when it was safe to go. At one point, he had to step over a wizard who had fallen over the plank, but had caught himself before he fell and was trying to grab onto Draco's ankles for leverage in order to pull himself off.

Draco could see that Harry was already exiting the devil's snare and entering the maze. Draco hurried, now in third place, as he found himself tangled in the devil's snare. He cast the spell and sunlight burst from his wand. The tentacles of strangling vines ceased and retracted and Draco tumbled out of the snare, no worse for wear. He and the second place wizard entered the maze together and Draco didn't waste anytime in throwing the bloke into a particularly thorny hedge. The guy's robes stuck and Draco laughed at him before turning around and finding himself face to face with his father in a Death Eater mask. He cracked his cane at Draco and told him to hold out his arm to receive the Dark Mark. Draco backed up and then he remembered where he was.

"Riddikulus!" He shouted and the bogart diminished. He ran ahead, weaving in and out of the hedges. Draco was really good at mazes. He grew up with one at The Manor and had a superb sense of direction, so that he always knew where he was in relation to the entrance and the exits. Suddenly, the noise from the surrounding crowd was blocked out and Draco found himself running down a dank corridor. Screams rang out in his ears and a foul stench filled his nostrils. He recognized this place! This was Azkaban prison. A place where he had sent many unsavory people during his stint as Minister of Magic. The criminals were snarling and cursing at him, as he ran faster down the carved out rock hall. He stopped short, when Bellatrix Lestrange showed her ugly face. This wasn't real. Bellatrix was dead.

"Riddikulus!" He shouted again and the prison disappeared along with his wicked Aunt. He roamed around the maze, turning right and left when he finally saw the end in sight. He was nearly out of the maze when he passed Harry Potter. Harry was laying on one of the hedges with his mouth open and his face a pale white. Harry was in deep shock as the dementor bore down on him, Harry's hands frozen on his wand.

"It's a bogart Harry! Get the fuck up. I'm not going to help you." Draco ran ahead and leaped onto the rope that was hanging in mid air, attached to nothing at either the top or the bottom. Draco started to climb, not a contestant in sight. As he climbed, he could see Harry being overrun with dementors now. Hermione had told Draco about the dementors in their third year, the ones that almost killed both Sirius and Harry himself and how Harry saved them at the last second. Draco stopped climbing.

"Bloody hell, what is happening to me? Am I actually considering helping him? I'm a Slytherin!" Draco said to himself as he started to climb the rope again. He stopped again though and let go with his hands and dropped to the side of the pit below.

"Expecto patronum!" Draco shouted, pointing his wand at the pack of ravenous dementors that surrounded Harry Potter, a silver majestic dragon bursting from his wand. Harry shook his head and came back from somewhere that he hadn't been in a long while. He hadn't even seen a dementor since his Voldemort days, Harry always opting not to be the auror that escorted prisoners to Azkaban, just to purposely avoid any confrontations with the deathly beasts. He ran and leapt for the rope, catching it with one hand.

"Bloody hell! Draco said when he realized he had just allowed Potter to pass him up again. He lunged for the rope, but missed this time and fell in the pit of slithering snakes. Draco's wand was at his side, as he lay flat on his stomach, his head looking up into the cold black eyes of a serpent. The snakes tongue was flicking as it hissed at Draco. He slowly slid his wand up his side, but the snake made a movement, as if to lunge and strike and Draco scooted back slightly.

"Sheeesiiisheeeoooiiissshh" Harry said from the rope, speaking parseltongue and the snake suddenly backed up and turned away from Draco. Draco looked up and smiled genuinely. He grappled for the rope and the two men continued up the rope as fast as they could. Slime dropped down the rope making it harder and harder to climb. Draco and Harry both, would climb a few feet and then slide back down the rope a foot. Draco's hands were raw with rope burns, yet he pressed on. He and Harry reached the top at nearly the same time., Draco right behind Potter. Harry jumped on a broom and away he went. Draco too mounted the first broom he found on the platform. The flying course stretched out across the vast dark skies of Loch Lyon. There were flaming hoops with clues on them and Draco knew that if he didn't get each and every one of them, then he was screwed. He leaned down on the broom and sped up, gaining on Harry Potter. It wasn't enough though, Harry was just too fast and Draco knew it. He had thought about he and Harry's competitive spirit at quidditch throughout the years. He had gone over it time and again in his brain, the different moves he could have done that would have guaranteed him the snitch instead of Harry Potter. It seemed now he was going to get to test those theories out. He lined himself up with the first flaming hoop. Its blue flames lighting up the night sky around the hoop. His aim had to be exact, because what he was going to do would require flying blind, but if done properly should give him the edge he needed to overtake Harry and set him ahead for the rest of the course. He was already low on his broom, his chest against the hard wooden broom handle as he pulled up on Potter. He put his forehead against the broom, and stretched his legs out, making himself like an aerodynamic bullet, careening through the skies. He counted, three,two,one and prayed that he had judged the distance properly and had timed it right. In one swift maneuver Draco spun in a one-eighty as he shot through the ring of fire, his hand snatching the clue as he flew past Harry. Draco sat back up on his broom now and traversed the difficult flying course. He was snickering under his breath at seeing Potters bewildered face. He beat him to the end of the course and when he pulled up hard on his broom the broom handle snapped in half and Draco went flying into the tunnel. He had all of the clues in his hand and Potter had none of them.

He suddenly heard footsteps, both in front of him and behind him. Draco staggered to his feet and suddenly there was wand light pointing directly into his face.

"Well, hello there! Er…I seem to be a bit lost. I cant figure out this clue, but yer a bit far behind me so I must be still in this thing," Oliver Wood exclaimed. Just then, a panting Harry caught up to them. Wood tried to chat with Harry but Harry just shoved him out of the way. Wood hit Draco and Draco was slammed against the cave wall. In anger, Draco shoved Wood back at Harry and Harry fell down briefly.

"Hey now boys! I dun thinks this is the proper time for a fight, now is it? And I aint a bloomin bludger!"

"Shut up Wood!" Harry shouted as all three men now staggered through the caves banging into the walls and each other. They finally came to a door.

"Harry, I do not think it fair that yer 'ere, since ye made the clues!" Wood exclaimed as they all stood at a doorway leading to whatever lay beyond it.

"Hermione made the clues this time, Wood! God you're thick! You aren't in this okay…you bloody failed! We were the group behind you!"

"Is this some sort of a trick?" Wood argued back.

"Will both of you shut the fuck up, I'm trying to think!" Draco yelled in his gruff and husky voice and both Harry and Wood looked at him in shock.

"Malfoy?" They both said in disbelief.

"Shut up!" Draco yelled. He fumbled at the first clue and started to read it.

"He got all the clues Wood, what's the first clue say?" Harry asked, trying to coax Wood to give him his clues.

"You're screwed Potter!" Draco laughed under his breath as he read the clue again.

_Blasting rock may not be right in this instance, it's elementary and it takes the path of least resistance._

Elemenatary…elements…least resistance…water! Draco said to himself as he raised his wand to the giant monolith blocking the door.

"Give it here! I'll help you Wood, just give me the clue!" Harry screamed and Draco saw Wood hand Potter all of his clues, like an idiot. Draco's door pushed open as the water streamed from his wand. Draco moved through the doorway to find himself at a fork in the tunnel. He glanced down and read the second clue.

_Coming of age and a quill and a parchment will show you the way and give you safe passage._

Draco could hear Potter and Wood bickering amongst themselves as they came through the door and into the room where Draco was. Draco thought about the clue and then it dawned on him. Coming of age is a rite of passage and quills and parchment are used for writing! He took the right passage and ran down the dark tunnel until he came to a fairy. He stopped abruptly at the fairy with golden wings and long glittering eyelashes. She blinked and smiled at him. She was tall and beautiful, not at all how one would think of a fairy, and her skin shone like the moon, casting a luminous blue light.

"Honesty is the best policy I'm sure you'd agree. Answer honestly, and I will go free."

"Okay hurry up, give me the question," Draco said seeing Harry and Wood stumbling into the room. Suddenly two more fairies were standing in front of both Wood and Potter. They repeated the same phrase to Harry and Oliver.

"Er…you a sight for sore eyes. I dare say it was worth getting this far. Would you go out with me sometime?" Oliver Wood said and Draco shook his head. Harry Potter laughed.

"Through the darkness you must go, for the answer I must give to you is…No," the fairy said to Wood. Wood was suddenly whisked back through the tunnel the doors closing behind him as he was sucked back through the wind tunnel. DXraco and Harry held o for dear life, their hands cutting into the jagged rock as they waited for the vacuum Wood had been sucked through to cease. When Draco looked up the fairy nodded.

The fairy blinked and smiled before saying to Draco…

_A woman's love is a precious gift. Which words of hers give you a lift?_

The obvious answer would be the words "I love you", but the fairy's first warning was that the answer must be honest. Harry shouted at the fairy I LOVE YOU HARRY, and his door opened. Draco began to panic. Okay, think Draco, he said to himself. What words when Hermione says them, make me feel incredible? He smirked widely and then opened his mouth.

"Don't…stop…fucking…me…EVER!" Draco could hear Harry let out a long deep resonating laugh from the tunnel in front of him. Draco picked up the fairy and threw her over his shoulder and started to run. Harry ran smack into him on his way back to get his fairy. He had been so excited to see the final door open, that he forgot to pick the fairy up to free her. Draco stumbled to his feet with the fairy on his back and began to run again. Harry slammed him and the blue fairy up against the wall and the fairy let out a shriek and dug her nails into Draco's back.

"Fucking Potter, you can't knock the fairy on the ground!"

"No rules, remember! You aren't beating me Malfoy!" Harry said and Draco stopped dead in his tracks, pulled out his wand and gently flicked it, before walking breezily towards the finish line. Harry was two steps form the exit of the tunnel when he fell flat on his face. Draco stepped over him casually.

"Didn't your mother teach you how to tie your shoelaces? Tsk Tsk. Sucker!" Draco smirked and then crossed the finish line. He collapsed on the ground with the fairy still on his back.

Harry swaggered out and dropped his fairy on the ground with a thud, his heart racing and his body exhausted. That's when Draco bust up laughing. He was so tired and the thought of Wood asking the fairy out for a date and being cast back to the beginning of the tunnel was just too stupid and funny. Harry started laughing too, falling down and rolling on the ground nearly in tears.

"And what you said to the fairy…I said I love you and you said…don't stop.." Draco stopped laughing.

"Shut up Potter! That's private." Then Draco bust up. By the time Hermione got to the finish line to congratulate the winner, she was shocked to find her husband and Harry Potter laughing together.

"Draco Malfoy, I know that's you! Everyone could hear what you said!" Hermione said blushing and reaching down to help her husband up. Draco took her hand and pulled her down on top of him.

"Now, is that any way to treat the winner of The Gauntlet? Where's my medal and my kiss from the Mistress of Ceremonies?"

"A kiss was never part of it Draco," Hermione smiled.

"It is now," Draco said, pullingoff his mask and kissing his wife passionately. His tongue darted between her lips and Hermione ran her fingers through his soft blond hair as she gave her hero a smoldering kiss.

"You shouldn't have done this. But…I'm really proud of you."

"That was pretty impressive flying Malfoy. I gotta hand it to ya on that move where you overtook me. I've never seen that move before. How did you think of it?" Harry asked and Draco smirked. No, he wasn't going to tell Harry that he thought about how to beat him on a broom ever since his second year, when Harry made a fool of him in front of his father.

"Thanks Potter," Draco merely said as he bent his head and received his medal from Hermione.

"That's the Minister! Look the Minister beat Harry Potter!" The crowd was beginning to cheer now and then a 'Malfoy for Minister' chant rang out in the dark Scottish countryside.

"Come on, I want to see Luna and the kids," Draco said ushering Hermione away from the crowds. He could see the family clapping atop a hill, which must have been where Potter's house was, though he still couldn't see it because of all the wards.

.

"It's a raid!" Draco and Hermione heard a group of witches and wizards say at the bottom of the hill. Torches lit the night and the sound of music and festive cheer drifted in the wind. Hermione looked at Draco with wide eyes.

"Come on!" Draco said scooping Jessie into his arms and taking Hermione by the hand. "I hope you have the portkeys ready, because we have to go now!" Harry was charging up the hill towards Luna and Blaise and all the rest of them.

"Auror's! Twenty of them! Time to go!"

Review!?

So I will cut it off here. Big chapters coming up! Hope you liked this one. The Gauntlet is a HUGE obstacle course, for Heather and others who might have been confused. I apologize if I didn't describe it well enough in previous chapters. I really was saving most of the Gauntlet for this chapter though.


	15. A Man Alone

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 15

Harry led them across the front yard and into the woods next to the house.

"The first portkey is just over here. I knew I'd need one close. I had a feeling this night was coming eventually." Harry mumbled as he frantically searched the forest floor for the portkey.

"What's the portkey, maybe we can help you find it?" Hermione asked.

"We have to get them out of here. How long do you think it'll take the aurors to decide to search up here? Bloody hell Potter! Do you know where it is or not?"

"It was a muggle flip-flop, and I don't see it here anywhere. I know I placed it on this dead log."

"Are you sure Harry? Perhaps it's covered by leaves is all," Hermione said, moving the dead leaves and branches around the rotting and mossy log that lay on the ground.

"It was pink Hermione! I didn't want it to be hard to find. Not this time. I knew we might have to flee quickly!" Harry was starting to lose it. Hermione knew his moods better then anybody, except perhaps Ginny. The portkey was gone. The sooner everyone realized that, the sooner they could come up with a new plan. Draco was bitching too, pissed off that he allowed himself to trust Potter in the first place.

"Look, what's that?" Hermione said pointing to far away headlights coming up the narrow pot-holed dirt road.

"It's a car Hermione. You know, muggles drive them?" Harry said pointedly.

"I know it's a bloody car Harry! Why is it coming up the road though? I thought you said you had no neighbors for miles in either direction?"

"I don't." Harry said finally understanding where Hermione was going with this.

"It's not a Ministry car. Nobody in the Ministry would ride in such a shabby piece of shite," Blaise said. Jessie was squirming and Draco hugged her to his chest.

"It's going to be alright Jessie. Uncle Draco won't let anything happen to you." He said it, but even Draco was worried.

The car pulled up and a man exited the vehicle.

"Bloody fucking hell! Where did I step on gum? Now it's allover the ruddy pedals!"

"Ron?!" Both Hermione and Harry said leaping from their cover in the woods. Draco tried to grab Hermione's robes but she was already running across the lawn towards Harry's drive.

"Ron! Am I glad to see you!" Hermione threw her arms around Ron's neck. Harry was also happy to see Ron, and more specifically, happy to see that he had flown/driven the enchanted car of his fathers. It still had a few dents from Harry and Ron's scrape with death in the Forbidden Forest, but otherwise it looked virtually the same.

"Ron, we need you to drive us north. Now! Aurors are here. Can you do it?"

"Of course Harry. But what's going on?" Hermione motioned to Luna and Blaise and Draco and the children to come quickly. Draco reluctantly led the pack out of the woods. "Harry, this isn't a bus. Just how many people am I taking?"

"Ron, no time! Everybody in," Harry shouted, opening the creaky door of the old Ford Anglia. Luna held two of her kids on her lap and Draco passed Jessie to Blaise as he tried to cram himself and Hermione into the car. It was a damn tight squeeze, but finally they were all able to pack themselves in, like sardines. Ron began to drive away, when the faces of aurors popping in all around them could be seen. They were wearing their maroon colored auror's robes and were carrying wands.

"Drive Ron, drive!" Harry shouted. The car sped down the road and then Ron pushed the button and the car stalled out, everyone's faces dropped.

"My Dad and I fixed it, I tell you! Every weekend we would work on the car. Of course that was a while ago, before I went to America and then Romania, and we did sock back a bottle of firewhiskey while we were working on the car." Harry looked at him with a deflated expression, but Ron smiled.

"No I'm serious! It really works Harry." He started it again and by a stroke of luck it turned over. He pushed the button and this time, the car was launched into the sky. Draco finally breathed a sigh of relief.

They traveled through the dark foreboding skies, the dark bands of clouds stretching out across the vastness of Northern Scotland. Harry didn't want to take any chances with the British coast. He needed to get as close to the coast as he could, but as far away from aurors as wizardly possible. The kids were asleep in the backseat while Hermione snuggled up on Draco's lap. She stroked his hair and whispered in his ear, how everything was going to be fine and how she had done this numerous times for other families with squibs. Still, Draco felt nervous. Not for himself, but for his sister and her beautiful children, and for his wife. Draco observed Blaise, cradling the sleeping Jessie in his arms with tender loving care. He knew Luna was going to be alright with Blaise at her side. He smiled at his sister and she blushed, but nuzzled her head against Blaise. They were in love and it was written allover both of their faces. Draco turned away and looked out the window, when he thought he saw the car skim the tops of the treetops.

"Weasley, take us up, you're flying to low," Draco said and Harry now too was looking out the window from the front seat. Ron peered into his car mirror back at Draco and then gulped. Draco lunged forward.

"What is it?"

"Well, this is a muggle car and…it still needs petrol. I think we are closer to running out of petrol." Just then, the car sputtered and died and the car drastically dropped in altitude.

"Get it started again, Ron!" Harry shouted.

"I'm trying, I'm trying!" Ron stomped on the gas pedal and turned the key once again, but it was too late and they were heading through the trees.

"Hold on everyone! Going to be a rough landing." Ron steered the car into a clearing as best he could and suddenly the tires were bouncing on the ground. Draco hit his head on the ceiling of the compact car and cringed in pain as he felt blood drip down over his forehead. They ploughed through the trees at great speeds, finally slowing down when they heard sloshing sounds. The car came to a complete stop and everyone looked around at each other, surprised that nobody had been seriously injured.

"Draco your head!"

"Just a scratch. I'm okay. Let's get out of the bloody death contraption already!" One by one, they exited the car into the darkness of the forest. Luna splashed down in the muddy muck and the cold squishiness didn't seem to bother her or her twin boys.

"Come on Malfoy," Draco said to Hermione, holding his arms out.

"What? You're going to carry me?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"I spent twenty-five thousand galleons on that dress. Do you think I'm going to let you ruin it in this filth?" Draco said referring to the wedding dress Hermione was wearing.

"Oh, Draco…No…This isn't my wedding dress. I just conjured a sheet to look like it. My wedding dress fit me like a glove and was comfortable and I ran out of ideas for outfits with such short notice. My real dress in hanging in a closet, packed in a box. I thought Jillian could wear it one day." Draco picked Hermione up and started through the muddy water. If anyone who knew Draco as a child had seen this chivalrous act, they wouldn't have believed it. Draco Malfoy, pureblood, carrying mudblood Granger through the mud, so she didn't get dirty? It was nearly laughable. She threw her hands around his neck and flicked her wand, healing the gash on his head with a simple incantation.

"I love you Draco. I know it's not really the time, but I just wanted to say it."

"Yes, apparently I love you too, because I'm ruining a rather expensive pair of dragon boots," Draco smirked and Hermione kissed his cheek.

Harry lit his wand, once they had all cleared the mud hole. Ron moaned about the car being stuck and how it would take him bloody years to get it into working condition again- that is, if he could ever get it out of the mud.

"You did good Ron. According to the vague map I made, you landed us quite close to the portkey. We won't have to walk far. It's just through the woods and next to a local fishery on the beach." They all walked silently through the leftover snow. The crunching sounds of their feet in the snow couldn't drown out the screaming worry in Draco's mind. This was just too easy. They had gotten away without any skirmishes. Draco pulled his wand out, ready for whatever was coming. Harry too was on guard, as he held his wand out in front of him. Ron however was apologizing to Hermione for his treatment of Luke. Apparently that's why he was coming to see Harry on this night. He wanted to find out from Harry what the best way to apologize to Hermione was. He had received a letter from Molly, after the custody hearing and was completely shocked. He bid Charlie farewell and returned to his home. Somehow, the fact that Luke wasn't the father eased Ron's mind. As selfish as it was, he didn't like Hermione and her son being twisted up in this mess and he didn't have the heart to fight it out with them like Molly did. In the end, he fled to Romania to avoid all the confrontation, admitting to himself that he had no idea how to raise a teenage girl on his own, and since Parvati cared more about her causes then she did her only daughter, Ron left Drew with Molly.

"There it is!" Harry said excitedly, pointing to an old rubber boot just up ahead. They all hurried their steps. Luna was smiling, the taste of freedom on her lips and Blaise was rejoicing and telling the kids it was all over now and they wouldn't have to be afraid anymore. They all stopped at the portkey-- all but Draco. It just didn't smell right. Something was awry. And then popping sounds were heard all around them. One auror crept out from behind a weathered ice fishing shanty and Harry shot him with his wand. Another shot and Draco looked at his family cowering in fear by the portkey. Luna was covering Jessie and Blaise had captured the boys in his arms and was trying to shield them from the bolts of red light that streaked past them.

"Stop! Take me, but just stop this fighting." Harry shot another red light from his wand and looked at Draco as if he must be crazy.

"Get to the portkey Malfoy!"

"Hermione was already at the portkey and she begged Draco to come to her.

"I can get you all out of this mess. There is no reason we should all go down. Harry, you have to be able to come back to this country. You have kids. Hermione and Weasel, the same. I'm the Minister…I'm the only one who stands a chance of getting us out of this mess! Get Luna out of here Hermione. You are brave and strong and I trust you more then anyone else Sweetpea. Take them now!" Harry fired a warning shot and backed up.

"I can do this Malfoy. You don't have to risk it! I can take them!" Just then, a dozen aurors popped in and Draco dropped his wand and lifted his arms up over his head, walking towards them.

"Just take care of my wife…Bring her back to me safe once you hear from me. I'll owl when it's safe to come back." Draco turned his attention to Hermione at that.

"Don't cry Sweetpea. I love you…"

"I love you too Draco…Please, just come with me!"

Harry gulped and looked back at Hermione who was crying frantically and calling out Draco's name. Harry knelt and touched the portkey. The last thing he saw was Draco falling to his knees as the aurors swarmed him.

.

.

The air was warm and salty. They found themselves on a white sand beach staring up at the full moon. Blaise didn't hesitate to gather some driftwood and seaweed in order to make a fire. As Luna and her kids and Blaise sat around the fire, peacefully sleeping on the Bermuda beach, Hermione made her way down to the shore.

"I knew this was going to happen! I knew it! DRACO!!" She shouted into the crashing waves, the deafening roar of the sea drowning out her cries. She collapsed on the shore in a daze. She couldn't believe how the events of the night had played out.

" It'll be okay 'Mione," Harry said sitting down next to his friend and slinking an arm around her shoulders. Hermione fell into his neck and wailed. Her tears rolling down her cheeks and soaking Harry's collar.

"He could have come with us. We could all be here right now!"

"He's right you know. I know you don't want to hear it but the auror's…We wouldn't be able to come back to Britain 'Mione. You have kids, I have kids, Ron has kids. Draco was right. He sacrificed himself for all of us. It's a really non-Slytherin thing to do. But then if you think about it…It was the logical thing to do. Draco is the Minister. If anybody can get us all off, it's him."

"Harry, you know he's going to fry for this! You know it as well as I do!"

"I dunno 'Mione. Maybe not. You saw all the support for him tonight after he won the Gauntlet. They can't just kill him. There would be public outcry. He's going to be okay Hermione. He will clear all of us and then send word and then we can all go home." Hermione nodded her head and gave Harry a lopsided smile before asking him if she could be alone.

"Try to get some rest Hermione. We have a big day tomorrow. I lit the signal fire. A witch will be here tomorrow to take us to the next portkey. Don't collapse on me. I need you to have your wits about you. Okay?" Hermione nodded, pulling her knees up to her chest and shivering at the thoughts of her Draco in Azkaban.

.

.

Draco was shot with a stunning spell. He could hear some of the aurors arguing with others over how he should be processed. At least one of the auror's, seemed to be siding with Draco, clearly one of his supporters.

"You read the auror instructions! This is a radical criminal faction. He is to be sent to Azkaban where he will await trial."

"He confessed! He's hardly a flight risk. His kids attend Hogwarts with my kids. I think the local jail would be more then enough to hold him in. I don't think he's gong to try to escape," one of the aurors plead with the other. With a familiar _pop,_ Draco found himself at Auror headquarters. Draco was thrown back into a chair, where a crowd of aurors gathered around him.

"We need to get your statement. If you wish to have counsel here it is your right." Draco thought about it. Hermione was his lawyer. She was obviously not here, so he went ahead without her. Draco took the blame…for all of it. He said that the Gauntlet was his idea. He set the plans in motion to free the squibs. He was the wizard who fought off numerous aurors. He planned and carried all of it out. He felt it would be easier to clear only his name, then to have to try to free Hermione and Ron and Harry. Now only one name carried suspicion…his. When Draco was finished, the friendly auror leaned down with a benevolent expression and whispered.

"You know these are high crimes against the Ministry? This is treason Sir." Draco nodded.

"You will be taken to Azkaban now. Do you understand this? If you don't understand I could have you taken to St. Mungo's. Are you getting what I'm trying to say? I like you…My wife and I voted for you and our son is friends with your oldest boy Scorpius. He taught him how to be a better quidditch player. It's all my son cares about and Scorpius's lessons allowed him to get the Seeker position on the Slytherin House team at Hogwarts. I feel like I owe you…but…I can't help you, if you aren't willing to help yourself."

"Just get my wife and my friends names cleared, so they can come home. Can you do that for me?" Draco begged.

"I will do all that I can. You're a brave wizard. You would have won the election you know? Raspodin's support is dwindling in the public sector. He still has quite a lot of pull at the Ministry, but he was on his way out. Sir, I'm terribly sorry to have to do this, but I have to take you to Azkaban now." Draco stood and was cuffed. His legs were shackled and then he was walked down the long halls of the Ministry with the group of aurors guiding him by the arms. He passed by Prunella on his walk of shame. She was crying into a tissue, finally turning her back, unable to look at her beloved employer as he was ridiculed by many envious Ministry employees. Coworkers and colleagues, judges and council members all stared. Some with curled lips and smirks, others with tears in their eyes and heavy hearts. When he reached the floo, labeled Azkaban Prison, he was pushed inside it as the auror sprinkled the floo powder into the fireplace.

"Azkaban."

Dementors swooped down on him and Draco felt his own dread suffocating him as he collapsed on the cold rock floor.

.

.

The seagulls called overhead and Hermione woke up in the soft sand. The nightmare of Draco in Azkaban seemed all too real last night. His pale, lifeless body was lying on the stone floor and Hermione was shaking him as she begged for him to wake up. This is the same dream that she had been having ever since she and Harry had cooked up The Wizards Gauntlet. Surely, it was her own subconscious guilt and worry, but it was disturbing nonetheless.

"Come on 'Mione, the witch is here to take us to the portkey," Harry said tugging on Hermione's hand. She felt like a zombie. She felt like nobody could understand her pain and she felt like nobody was worried at all about Draco. Harry and Ron were laughing together as they walked along the beach with Luna and the kids. Hermione walked behind the group, cooking up completely ridiculous conspiracy theories against her friends. Had Harry and Ron plotted this all out, in order to finally get Hermione away from their nemesis, Draco Malfoy? She knew the thought was absurd, yet she felt desperate and she wanted to lash out at Harry and Ron. She just wanted to be back in Britain, not here in some tropical paradise!

"Harry I think we should go back…" Hermione said as they reached the final portkey.

"Hermione, for the last time we can't go back until we hear from Draco! He did this for us. Don't take his grand gesture and diminish it because you miss him. I understand you wanting to be back and I promise, I swear, I will get you back, but right now we have to get Luna and her family to New York! I think you will feel better once you see who is meeting us there."

They took the portkey and Hermione was surprised to see her brother in law standing there to greet them. They were in the suite at the Dragon Witch. Hermione had nearly forgotten that Nathaniel and his girlfriend had moved into the suite when Draco and Hermione left The Big Apple. Draco said for him to live here as long as he wanted. The place looked different though. It was filled with foreign antiquities and tapestries; no doubt from Nathaniel's travels abroad.

Nathaniel greeted his sister Luna with a kiss on the cheek and a hug and then showed them to their rooms. He had an entire room full of toys for the kids and they were immediately playing and laughing and giggling, as if none of the previous night's events had occurred.

"Hermione. Let's talk." Nathaniel said, motioning towards a spare bedroom. Hermione hesitated. While she had mended fences with Nathaniel, there was still a part of her that didn't trust Draco's brother, even if Draco did now. Sensing her ambivalence, he handed her his wand as a gesture to make her feel more safe.

"Please, Hermione, we need to talk." They entered the room and shut the door. Nathaniel looked so much like Draco that Hermione found herself staring. He had cut his hair and it was lighter now, a dark shade of blonde, that he claimed his girlfriend preferred to his darker mane. His face was angular and his eyes were piercing, just like Draco's. He reached for a paper on the night table and he thrust it into Hermione's hands. Hermione sat down, her hands shaking, as she read Nathaniel's copy of _The Daily Prophet_. It said that Draco was arrested and charged with high crimes of the state. He was to be tried for treason and if found guilty, he was subject to death by dementor's kiss. Hermione sobbed upon reading this. Her worst fears recognized.

"I have to go back. I'm his lawyer. I'm going back."

"Yes. We have to go," he agreed.

"We?"

"Yes. You will need me to get back and…my brother needs me."

"So, you aren't going to try to talk me into staying and waiting for word from Draco, like Harry and Ron?"

"No. We have to go, now. Draco isn't built for a prison like that. He appears strong and tough on the outside but on the inside…Well, he just can't take it. We have to get him out of there."  
"Well it's settled then," Hermione said with the first glimmer of hope showing on her face since she had left Draco standing there by the fishery on the beach, as the aurors surrounded them. "We will leave by portkey, immediately."

"No. You're in America. It takes two weeks to get a portkey set up. Something called a Transportation Commission has to approve it. You have to submit a formal request and then papers have to be filed, an appointment made and then gratuity paid before a portkey can be set up. Besides, it's public. We need to arrive into Britain under secrecy."

"But…it says right here that Draco is the only suspect and that he confessed. That means Harry and I and Ron, we are all free to come back to Britain."

"You aren't reading between the lines Hermione. Raspodin wants this conviction…It guarantees him the election. He will have his own people watching the portkeys…You're the top lawyer at the Ministry. Do you really think he will allow you to come back so easily? No, we will not travel by portkey."

"Then how?" Hermione asked Nathaniel.

"Have you ever flown on a raven?" Hermione looked at him perplexed.

"It's how I came to America in the first place. Do you want to rest, or are you ready?" "You mean…Me….fly on you… in your animagus form?" Hermione said with a quizzical expression and Nathaniel nodded.

"A simple engorgio spell should make it a comfortable ride for you." Hermione thought about it. She hated flying, this was true. Nevertheless, she hated the thought of Draco being alone and in Azkaban even more. Hermione agreed and she and Nathaniel slipped through the wall panel in the bedchamber that led to the terrace of the Dragon Witch hotel.

Home…Her home had once been here…but Hermione realized that home wasn't a particular place…It was a wherever Draco was, and she wanted to go home now, more then ever. She wanted her Draco back.

.

.

Draco was locked in a cell with five other wizards. He collapsed in the corner, all feelings of happiness and his life before Azkaban, fading to near nothingness. One of the wizards approached him and tried to take his shoes.

"Get orf!"

"You can 'ave his shirt, but I want da shoes Roman." A rail thin, and toothless wizard said, pawing at Draco.

"I said get orf!" The wizard slashed at the other wizard who was trying to take Draco's shoes, cutting him with a jagged stone he had tucked in his raggedy pants. The grimy, bearded wizard, known only to inmates as Roman squatted next to Draco. Draco's lips were so dry, and he had an insatiable thirst. The dirty wizard started pawing at something behind Draco. Draco slumped over, falling onto his back. He couldn't forget about the dementor's torment. He was lost in his own sorrow-filled mind.

"Yeel get used to it. 'Vonce ye been 'ere a while the beasts torment 'don mess wit cha as much. Are you thirsty?" Draco barely looked at the wizard, but managed to nod. The wizard dug into the rock wall and slid out a dirty cloth fropm a hole in the wall. He carefully opened the cloth, making sure none of the other inmates saw him and then he pulled out a dirty pear. He picked a piece of pear off and rubbed it against his lips. Draco licked the juice from his lips.

"Best eat. Gots to keep yer strength up in a place like this, else the demntors will win, they will," Roman said feeding Draco a bite of the pear.

"Ve 'ave to save the rest for later." He wrapped the fruit back up in the dirty cloth and shoved it back into the hiding place in the rocks. Draco curled into a ball and closed his eyes. He could vaguely remember Hermione and her giggle. It all seemed to be slipping away though.

Review!?

Thanks to:

FF

NataliaPotter,pickles,windskii,swpfap88,ebbe04,Heather,gitgit,JenHoffman,Unicorn982001,Ancient and Forever,Saraid Neveah-Ellayson,geauxtiger06,IdinaMalfoy,yadyforever and Angelica!!

Also at AFF

Dani, Angelnomiko,Mandy Lyn,Apple,Starrynite,Dray,Koneko-chan,Consonance,Pickles,Tam,Purpletak,Horns,Mariah-(Thank you for all your awesome reviews!),Rygirl824,Lux,Paigeey07,Blondpeirogi,Smurphy

If I missed anyone my apologies! Thank you, thank you,thank you. You all are what keeps me sitting in my chair and typing away instead of going outside lol It's so hot and muggy anyways though. Ya know...just occurred to me why Nathaniel and Hermione don't just take a muggle plane LMAO Oh well, traveling by raven is much cooler if not a tad bit tiring. I guess we will just assume that the bad men are also watching Heathrow airport.

.

You are all awesome!! I foreshadowed in the last chapter so you could all get used to the idea that Draco IS going to Azkaban. Can his family work together to save him now? Review and I will update ASAP. I feel kinda bad leaving the story at this place. The hardest part thus far for me to write was the walk of shame through the Ministry. Okay, so you all know how I end my stories…You will never need a tissue at the end of one of my stories.


	16. Her Angel

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 16

Scorpius threw the door to the potion shop open.

"Did you see the fucking paper!?" Scorpius shouted at Luke. Luke continued brewing his potion, but looked up.

"I saw it. Dad's in Azkaban." Luke replied and Scorpius banged his fist on the table where Luke was sitting, nearly spilling over a rack of vials filled with different colored potions.

"Be bloody careful, Scorps!"

"Potions? I come here because I'm furious…I'm hurt and upset that my father is in Azkaban and you're worried about fucking potions being spilled over?" Scorpius shouted at Luke and a customer that was browsing the shop left out the door in a hurry.

"Do you think you're the only one here whose Dad is in Azkaban!? Do you!" Luke screamed back.

"We have to do something, Luke!"

"That's what I'm doing. I'm separating these potions for Dad. It all ties to what's happened. Dad seemed sure of it. So, I'm doing what he asked me to do! Now, I suggest you let me get back to my work." Scorpius paced back and forth before lunging in Luke's face again.

"What am I supposed to do? I want to help too!"

"I don't know! I can barely think as it is. Do something you're good at. Call a bloody press conference or something. I don't know! But I'm not leaving this lab until I have the answer Dad was looking for. I don't want Dad in that horrible prison either." Luke nearly broke down at that, but he forced the tears back. Scorpius patted him on the shoulder.

"Come here." Scorpius hugged Luke and Luke found himself hugging him back.

"I'm not a little kid anymore. You don't have to hug me," Luke said with a shaky voice.

"I know. Maybe I needed a hug." Scorpius said comforting his little brother, who he could tell was coming undone underneath the cool facade. Luke would have never asked for a hug, which is why Scorpius gave him one. With Draco in prison, Scorpius suddenly felt that as the oldest Malfoy man, he had to protect his family. As he hugged Luke, it dawned on him just what he could do to help his father. He had many plans to attend to.

_POP_

Both boys turned to see Ginny Weasley and Narcissa Malfoy, standing in the Potions shop. Ginny ran to the window and pulled the blinds closed. She then turned the sign around to read 'closed'.

"Good. I'm glad you're both here. How are you two doing?" Narcissa kissed both boys on the heads and hugged her grandsons.

"You haven't had any strange visits from any of Raspodin's cronies, have you?" Ginny asked with a concerned expression. Both boys nodded their heads, no.

"I'll be back Narcissa." Ginny said before opening the door to the Potions Shop and running out the door.

"Where's she going?" Luke asked.

"She's gathering her children from Hogwarts. Rumors have circled around that you kids might be in danger. She wants to get Lily and James out of there, until Harry gets back. Oh, Drew Weasley too. Someone gave an anonymous list to Rita Skeeter at The Prophet. It had all of you kids' names on them. She didn't publish it, which is quite a surprise. She stopped in to see me at The Manor and handed it over to me." Narcissa handed it over to Scorpius, who looked at it and then bolted form the store.

"No, you must come back!"

"I have to get Sapphire!" Scorpius yelled back.

.

.

Hermione said goodbye to Luna and the kids and told her not to tell Harry and Ron she had left until after she was already gone. She knew they would put up a fuss and she was going no matter what. She and Nathaniel apparrated to the Long Island shore, where they stood gazing out at the vast Atlantic.

"How long is this going to take?" Hermione asked with her hands on her hips.

"A few hours. I fly pretty fast. Hang onto my neck. I won't let you fall. Hit me with an engorgement spell after I change. The bigger the better. I'll need my strength."

"Are you sure about this? It's a long way back to England."

"I flew from Africa once. I can do it. Besides, there are ships out there should I get tired and need a quick rest. You want to get back don't you?" Nathaniel asked.

"Yes, very much so. I want to go straight to Azkaban. Are you afraid to fly there?"

"Because of the dementors you mean?"

"They are quite scary. Oh, I can't imagine Draco being there with them!" Hermione moaned.

"I'm not afraid of the dementors. They may have reason to fear me though. My whole childhood was nothing but one bad memory. My little brother though…Hermione let's go. I've been getting some bad vibes off Draco. I don't want to scare you, but I was lying in bed last night and I could have sworn I heard him call out to me in his mind." Hermione threw her arms around Draco's brother and hugged him.

"I was wrong about you. I'm sorry for that. Okay, so do your stuff!"

Nathaniel turned himself into a raven right before Hermione's very eyes. She hit him with the spell to make him larger and then climbed on the frightening birds back. His wings flapped hard in the ocean breeze. Hermione had a fist full of black feathers in her hands as she held on for dear life. Miles and miles, as far as the eye could see, of ocean, stretched out before them.

.

.

Lucius cleared his throat and leaned against the counter of the Intercontinental Wizard, a very posh hotel in Paris. Lucius had found out a number of interesting things about Raspodin. Such as he liked to go by the name Rasputin, the famed Russian holy healer. He claimed that his father was the illegitimate grandson of the deceased Rasputin. He also had quite a many kinks in the bedroom. It seemed that he had both male and female escorts while staying in Paris. The more Lucius learned about this supposedly clean and conservative wizard, the more he knew that Draco was right in sending him on this caper. He had tried sweet talking the receptionist at Ancient's Potions headquarters, and while it had taken him many days of courting the young witch, with many boring strolls through the park and many boring conversations from the very likeable and boring witch, Lucius's efforts had finally paid off. While Jean Paul's former receptionist didn't know who the silent partner of Ancient Apothecary was, she did say that the silent partner frequently sent his mistress to headquarters, to pick up and drop off important correspondences between Jean Paul and the silent partner. Lucius thanked her and then never contacted her again. No sass whatsoever. Lucius was used to Narcissa, with her spunky wit and dry humor, and he missed her tremendously. Therefore, Lucius tracked the mysterious witch down and found her at one of the posh hotels in the city.

"May I help you?"

"Mon Cheri, I seem to have forgotten my friend's room number. She had invited me up for tea and for the life of me; I cannot remember the room number. Can you please help me?" The front desk clerk smiled and batted her eyelashes at Lucius. Even in his distinguished years, Lucius was quite attractive to the eye. He could easily meet and date a witch half his age should he wish to. The clerk gave him the room number and then Lucius asked if he could have a room on the same floor as his "friend". Later he would arrange an accidental meeting, when room service accidentally (on purpose) sent him a bottle of elf made wine of an exquisite vintage. Lucius would find himself sharing a glass of wine with the sultry, olive skinned mistress of …well that's what he was going to find out.

.

.

Luke had complained that he couldn't leave the lab, but Narcissa assured him that he could work in Draco's old potions lab in the basement of The Manor. Luke gathered his vials and apparrated with the others to The Manor. He was surprised to see Damien Stratton sitting in the living room with the rest of the children and Ginny and Narcissa.

"What's he doing here?" Luke whispered to Lily, who was sitting next to him on the sofa.

"He and Drew got back together. He wanted to come, so Mum let him." Luke looked at Drew and Drew nodded to Luke. No, she had not told Damien about the baby yet.

"So, the benefit I'm having for the squibs will now also be for freeing my Dad. I'm going to get the crowd fired up. Should get a lot of press too. Persephone is going to help me handle the preparations."

"I think that's a little dangerous Scorpius," Narcissa said.

"I'm doing it Grandmother and nobody is stopping me." Narcissa smiled out of the corner of her mouth. She knew Scorpius was just like Draco and that you couldn't tell him what to do, so she bit back her concerns and patted his leg.

"You're a good boy. You too Luke."

"Thanks, but I really need to get back to work. I'll be downstairs should anyone need me." Lily got up and followed him. Ginny raised an eyebrow at Narcissa at seeing her daughter follow the younger Malfoy down the stairs. She knew she would have something to gossip about with Hermione when she got back.

"Does anyone want to play a game with me?" Young James said and Scorpius and Persephone looked at him oddly, before leaving the room. The two teens worked into the night at the kitchen table, going over every detail of the concert/rally Scorpius was going to perform at on behalf of his father and his father's campaign.

.

.

Hermione woke up with the coast in sight. It was night now and Nathaniel was squawking loudly. Hermione roused and sat up. Two wizards on brooms were flying next to them and then Hermione felt the jolt as one of the men pounded into the side of Nathaniel. The bird fell off to the side, for a moment, before diving down towards the water. Hermione could see the reflection of the moon on the water and she knew they were getting close. She gripped onto the birds neck and screamed out.

"Nathaniel pull up, the water!" The wizards were hard on their tail and one of them miscalculated and hit the ocean. Suddenly, they were being lifted with the wind and then Hermione saw something dangling from the talons of the bird. The man was screaming as Nathaniel plummeted again, dragging the man through the cold waters before letting him go. Hermione could see a yacht down below in the waters and they were pointing to the men in the water. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief that the men were gone but weren't dead. She worried how far Nathaniel would go. He had saved her once before, and even though he was clearly in the right for saving her life from Charles Stratton, she knew Nathaniel wasn't playing, when he defended himself or his loved ones. He would use a killing curse if provoked.

The air grew cold and the sky turned black. Hermione could see something in the distance. Then she saw it, the cryptic black cloaked figure of the dementor. Then another was around them as Nathaniel flew closer to Azkaban. Suddenly the cloaked dementors all flew away when Nathaniel shrieked and Hermione wondered why, but she figured she didn't really want to know. Like Nathaniel said, he had a pretty awful upbringing and she really didn't know how he did some of the things that he did. Like tapping into Draco's emotions or mind or whatever he did. It scared her quite frankly, even though she did believe he had Draco's best interests at heart. He landed on the cold, dead rock and Hermione dismounted. He wasted no time in shedding his birdlike persona.

Hermione convinced the auror on duty, to let her in to see Draco. Since she was one of the lawyers on the official Ministry list, she was allowed entrance. Nathaniel, however, was not allowed. He stood with Hermione looking down the cold dark tunnel that led to the cells of Azkaban. Nathaniel held his palms at his temples and concentrated hard and without warning, three dementors, that were hovering in the corridor, with their wicked empty stares, disappeared with a shrill ear piercing screech. Hermione nervously walked down the corridor, turning back to look at Nathaniel every so often. He nodded encouragement her telling her that Draco needed her more than anybody else right now and that she could do it.

She had been here before with Ginny before, and she kept telling herself that it wasn't any different. She had made it out alive the first time and she would make it out now. The prisoners were all behind bars…along with Draco…Draco was in here. She still couldn't believe it. How could he survive in a place like this? She shuddered to think about it. She passed many cells with snarling hissing criminals inside them. One was foaming at the mouth and laughing wickedly. She hid her eyes and pressed on.

"Draco?" Hermione called out, hoping her husband would answer her.

"Over 'ere lady."

"Draco?" Hermione said again and when she heard the voice, again she turned to the darkly lit cell.

"He 'aint dong so good lady." The bearded wizard that was standing at the bars now, his gritty and jagged fingernails reaching out for her, pointed to the back of the cold dank cell.

"I'll get him. My name is Roman. Take care of yer husband I will. Rasputin is da reason I'm in here ya see. The guards thinks I don't know vhat's going on, but I do. Get out of here any time I want, I can… You're a pretty lady. I had a wife once ya know."

"Please sir, do you where I can find Draco?"

Hermione stepped back form the bars when the man let out a deep cough. Then she saw his blond hair through the bars. Perhaps this wizard wasn't lying.

"Draco! Dragon, its me, your Sweetpea. Draco, please! I can't be here long!" Hermione gazed at the grungy wizard, with pleading eyes. He lowered his eyes and smiled.

"Get him for ya I will." Hermione smiled at the prisoner and suddenly Draco was being thrust against the bars. Hermione shot her arms through the rusty metal bars and wrapped them around Draco.

"Draco? Merlin, what have they done to you!" He looked worse then she had ever seen him before. His skin was pale and dried blood covered his forehead. His clothes were torn and dirty. Hermione stroked his face with her fingers and suddenly Draco came out of his daze and screamed out. Hermione shook in surprise. His cries were bone chilling.

"Touch him and he'll come around. He can't hear ye. It takes a bit in the beginning." Hermione pressed her lips against Draco's. He moaned slightly and Hermione slipped her hands into his shirt and let them roam his chest.

"I love you Dragon. I love you so much. I'm here babe. It's okay. I'm here." It was awkward with the bars between them, but Hermione did her best to touch and hold Draco, wanting to give him as much physical contact as she could. She kissed his cheeks and his chin and his nose and every part of his body she could get her hands or mouth on. He was standing on his own now and Hermione pressed her body up against the bars. Their bodies touched between the bars and then Draco's arms shot through the bars and wrapped themselves around Hermione.

"Hermione? Jessie… safe?"

"Yes, yes you saved us all Draco! They made it to America. They are fine, just fine. I'm more worried about you sweetness. I'm going to do everything I can to get you out of here."

"Hold me. Please. I want to feel your hands allover me. It's so cold in here. Couldn't remember you. Touch me." Hermione couldn't remember a time that Draco needed her more then he did now. Damn these bars, she thought to herself. She opened her cloak and moved Draco's hands to her breasts, slipping his hands under her dress so he could touch her skin. He sighed and banged his head against the bars. Hermione kissed his lips and slid her tongue into his mouth. He kissed her weakly as if his very essence was draining form him and Hermione intensified the kiss, forcing her tongue into his mouth and sucking at his lips. She wanted him to feel her, HER-- not the dementors. She moved his hand up her leg and under her dress and then Draco's fingers were inside her and Draco began to come alive again. Hermione kissed his mouth, breathing life back into him. He held her tightly around the waist with one arm, while the other roamed her body, touching every delicious curve and penetrating her over and over again. She slipped her hands down his pants and stroked him. He needed pleasure because the dementors had sucked the life out of him and she was going to put it back the way it once was.

"Draco I love you."

I love you too Sweetpea. Oh baby. I want to come home with you and the kids. I don't want to be here. Just hold me." She found herself finally looking at her Draco. He touched her loose curls, running his fingers through her hair. He had always been a tactile person, but this Draco needed her so much and Hermione couldn't ever remembering loving her husband more then she did at that moment. They touched and kissed and held each other through the bars of the cell, hugging each other tightly.

"I promise you, I'll get you out."

Draco's head was in a fog. He could not; think of anything but Hermione. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he felt his sweet wife in his arms again. He would not forget this. He didn't care what they did to him, he would _not _forget her this time. He would be strong for her, because he knew that while he was the one behind bars, she too was also in jail as long as he was in the cold unforgiving place.

"I don't want you seeing me in here like this. You shouldn't have to see this. How will you love me after seeing me like this?"

"Draco you stupid git. I love you more now then I've ever loved you. I love you Dragon. You're my heart." She took her hand and held it to her heart and Draco bent and kissed the soft skin over her breast. Hermione brushed his wounded forehead with her lips his and then his face, again and again. She wasn't going to leave until they physically threw her out. Every minute spent with Draco, was one less minute he had to spend alone. It was at that moment, that she really_ knew_ the depth of her love for this man. If she could have, she would have crawled through the bars and stayed with him. If she could, she would have taken his place and spared him the pain and misery. It hurt her that much to leave him in such a dreadful place as Azkaban. How had Lucius withstood this place? How had Narcissa? Narcissa would become her pillar of strength in the days that followed, but for this moment, she had her Draco in her arms and she wouldn't let go and neither would he.

The air grew cold again and Hermione pressed her lips against Draco's before two dementors grabbed his arms and yanked him backwards, his cries echoing in Hermione's ears.

.

Hermione stumbled out of the dark corridor feeling traumatized at seeing thiose voicious beasts laying their cold dead fingers on his pristine and perfect angelic body. She wanted to throw up, she felt so sick inside. When she saw Nathaniel standing rigidly and like a rock, she launched herself into his arms.

"Nathaniel, that was, that was, Draco!" Hermione could barely speak.

"I know. I know. He's okay though. I can feel him even now. He's okay. Being with you helped him more than anything could. He's going to be alright Hermione. We will come back tomorrow."

"Nathaniel, his face was so cold and so pale," Hermione, sobbed now that she was away from Draco.

"I know Hermione. But tomorrow, you will come back and you will get him out of that cell and into a private room where we can visit. I can help my brother Hermione. Just as you did, I can help him block this place out. I know how to do it and he needs me to show him." Hermione nodded as if unconvinced.

"Who is the best counselor at the Ministry? Who has convicted the darkest wizards? Who takes on the cases that nobody wants to touch, because they are too hard? Who Hermione? Who? Stop crying and answer me!" Nathaniel said firmly.

"Me! Me! I am the best damn lawyer there is!" Hermione shouted back, her tears slowing.

"That's right! And what are you going to do tomorrow?"

"I'm going to the Ministry and getting Draco's sentence overturned. And if they won't…well then I will bring this place down on any code violation I can. We will visit Draco in a private room, away from the Dementors, because he is my husband."

"He's your client Hermione. This is important."

"Yes, he's my client! He's my client!"

"And you are going to defend him, just as you would any of your clients. Because you are the best. Remember?"

"Yes, I am the best! They fucked with the wrong witch!"

Review!?

I hope their aren't a bunch of mistakes, but I have no confidence in my editing skills right now. Alas, I am finally tired. lol


	17. Wizengamot

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 17

"What in the hell? Luke, have you looked at these books?" Lily stood at the bookshelf in the basement of The Manor, perusing Lucius's more obscure collection of Dark Wizards books. "Outwitting Aurors." Oh look at this one. It's called, "Dark Magic for the Three to Five Year Old. Sick! I didn't know young kids could even do magic, let alone make it dark or light?"

"Oh yeah, I'd mastered the exercises in that book by the time I was two," Luke said, preoccupied with putting on the finishing touches to his reverse spell.

"Seriously!?" Lily asked.

"No. I'm just fucking with you," Luke looked up and gave her a flashy smile. Lily flushed. "Damn!"

"What's wrong?"

"This is the third potion I've reversed and neither have any defects as far as I can see."

"That's good right? I mean it's really scary to think that a potion manufacturer is tainting its potions."

"Well, yeah, when you put it that way, but it kind of blows my Dad's theory out of the water if they are all legit potions for mother's and babies."

"Well, just keep working Luke. I'll help you if you need it."

"I can't keep working. That was the last of the baby line products. I've tested the fertility potion, and the potion for morning sickness. I've even tested the vitamin potions for pregnant mothers and for babies after their born. They are all perfectly safe! In fact, we should be brewing these, it's a real money making line. I'm done though. Dad was wrong."

"Did you test that disgusting stuff that increases nursing mothers' milk supply?"

"What are you talking about?" Luke said with shock all over his face. "There is no product on this list like that." Luke showed Lily the list of all of Ancient's Apothecary's potions.

"Yeah, it's right here, see? You just missed it, because they didn't have it under the baby stuff. It's called _Genugreek._

"How do you know this stuff?"

"Because Molly was trying to make Drew take this shit, one day when I was visiting my grandparents. Molly was pissed that Drew wouldn't breast feed Artie, but Drew claimed that she wasn't producing milk, so Molly went and bought her this Genugreek shit, and tried to force her to drink it. Drew finally told her that Artie would be bottle-fed and that was the end of that. I was surprised Molly gave up on Drew taking it."

"Oh Lily, I love you!" Luke bent his head and kissed her. His lips pressed against hers and Lily melted into his kiss. Luke hadn't ever felt so alive and before he knew it his fingers were on her stomach, caressing her silky skin.

"You mean it?" She asked, breaking off their kiss and staring into his golden eyes.

"Yeah, I do mean it. Does that scare you?" Luke said hugging her softly against him. He wanted to feel her warmth, her body pressed against his.

"No. I'm not scared, because…I love you to." Luke took Lily's hand and kissed her fingers. He led her over to a black leather sofa against the wall. The pair sat down and resumed their make-out session. Luke could taste her, and he wanted so much more. He had a painful erection from being this close to Lily and her soft touch was sending him over the edge. When he laid her down and moved over top of her, her hands found their way up his shirt where she caressed his skin. Luke shivered.

"You have to stop. I can't take much more of that." Lily kissed his chin and then pulled away.

"Did I do something wrong?" Luke smiled and shook his head, before pressing his rock hard erection against her leg. Lily blushed. "Oh!"

"I should get back to my work. I have a renewed sense of purpose, since you told me about the Genugreek. Our parents are upstairs anyway. This isn't a very smart idea." Lily bit his lip instead though.

"Luke, let's go farther." Her voice caught in her throat and she stared up at Luke with nervous eyes.

"How far?" He dared to ask.

"I want to touch it. Aren't you curious too?"

"Lily, I'm a guy. I'm more then curious."

"Kiss me again," Lily said closing her eyes. With his body laying full over hers, he kissed her passionately. Without warning, he felt her fingers on his stomach again. Her hand moved downwards and then he heard his zipper of his pants being drawn down.

"Lily…" Luke said, but her gaze was lust filled and Luke nuzzled his face into her neck and sucked softly at the skin of her neck. She moaned quietly under Luke and he sucked harder on her neck feeling her fingers slipping under his boxer briefs. Goose bumps erupted down his legs.

"Tell me if I'm doing it wrong," she whispered and then her fingers were wrapped around his thick cock. Her touch wasn't like anything he'd felt before. He had wanked, thinking about her touching him in this way, but his was very different. At first, she just held him in her hand, as if she was getting used to the feel of it.

"Lily…" Luke brought his head and looked into her eyes. He wanted to touch her too and when she nodded, he rolled off her and brought her with himself, their bodies now facing each other, lying on their sides. She moved her fingers around his cock and he felt another wave of pleasure overtake him. His hands roamed up her blouse and under her bra where he could feel her pebbled nipples. He pushed her blouse up and stared at the most glorious sight he'd ever seen. He brought his lips down over one, kissing it softly and then he moved to kiss the other. Lily intensified her ministrations, stroking him up and down in a steady rhythm. He moaned and Lily smiled, pleased that she was doing it right. He knew he wasn't going to last long. In his fantasies, he lasted for hours and hours, but reality was, the girl he loved was touching him in the most private of places and it was driving him wild. He slid his hand down her belly and then his fingers lasciviously moved up her inner thigh, dragging his fingertips across the sensitive skin of her legs and under her skirt. Lily parted her legs slightly for him. His fingers stroked the top of her panties and then slipped under her knickers and Luke let out a deep groan when he found her dripping wet for him. He moved two fingers along her slit exploring her womanliness. His thumb settled over her sweet cherry and he rubbed gently. Lily's hand, picked up its pace upon Luke finding the right spot on her body. Their lips found each other once again and they kissed longingly as both pleasured the other with their hands.

"Merlin! Luke, I think I'm gonna.." Lily moaned against Luke loudly and he could hold off no longer. He too came, and with a husky moan in Lily's ear, he spurt his seed allover himself and Lily's hand.

"Was that good for you? That felt so incredible for me," Luke whispered in her ear and Lily just hugged him tightly.

"Oh yes." She hesitated for a moment and then whispered in his ear. "I've loved since forever, Luke Malfoy."

"You're the most beautiful witch in the world, you know that?" Luke kissed her tenderly and the pair held each other close, ignoring the sticky mess between them, for now.

.

.

"You'll get through it because you're a Malfoy woman. We are strong and tough, now you go out there and hold your head up high!" Narcissa said.Hermione applied her lip gloss and smacked her lips in the mirror.

"Are you sure he was alright Mum?" Scorpius said raising an eyebrow to Hermione.

"Please don't worry. Your father is as well as can be expected. Now then, I'll see you at the benefit tonight. What are all these boxes in the conservatory?" Scorpius smirked.

"Do you really want to know or was that a rhetorical question Mum?"

"On second thought…Don't tell me. Good luck sweetie. Lot's to do, best be going." Hermione kissed Scorpius on the cheek. "Oh, and tell Luke not to work too hard, and to eat something. I just hate that he's slaving away down there. He's so dedicated though. I really admire that." If Hermione only knew…

"I just made the kids a bite to eat. I thought I'd pop down there and check on his progress. Everything's covered here 'Mione," Ginny said sweetly.

Narcissa kissed Nathaniel on the cheek, before he joined Hermione by the fireplace. Narcissa had more or less adopted Nathaniel as a surrogate son. It was still odd to Hermione though, to see Cissy, kiss Nathaniel like she would Draco, but if anyone deserved a motherly figure it was Nathaniel. He had come so far and the way he had helped Hermione get into Azkaban and then helped pick up the pieces when she came so undone after her meeting with Draco, could not be ignored. She was grateful that he was here to hold her hand and voice his support, more then anyone could ever know.

"Oh! I almost forgot. I'll be right back." Hermione scurried into Draco's office and plucked something from the bottom drawer of his desk, before returning to the floo.

"Ready then?" Nathaniel asked.

"Good to go," she said with a smile as she held something to her heart. "I just need to stop off at the muggle library real quick. It won't take long,"

.

She printed off one hundred copies of something as Nathaniel stood and watched with a smirk on his face. He really liked his brother's wife. She was as driven as any witch he'd ever met and she really loved his little brother. She felt some inane urge to speak to him every few seconds, as if she felt bad for making him wait, which couldn't be further from the truth.

"So, first the Ministry and then Diagon Alley and then we go see Draco again." Nathaniel was amused by how many times Hermione had given him a run down of their itinerary. Her emphasis was always on the last part—the part about seeing Draco. He could tell she was itching to see him again, and truthfully, Nathaniel was too.

.

.

"So what's the word around here Prunella? I'd like to know what I'm in for, before they walk into the lion's den," Hermione said under her breath to Draco's secretary. A few heads turned when Hermione made her way from the floo and Hermione did as Narcissa said, and held her head up high. More then a few witches and wizards, wished her and Draco much luck. It was clear, Draco still had a lot of friends at the Ministry and for this Hermione was thankful, because she could use all the help she could get.

"I think you said that backwards, Mrs. Malfoy. You meant to say before _you_ walk into the lion's den."

"No,Prunella…I meant it just he way I said it," Hermione said with a rising smirk.

"I'm not supposed to mention this to anybody as the inauguration is supposed to kept under wraps, but, Raspodin was in here this morning and he was trying to force Minister Malfoy to be declared unfit to lead. I think the Wizengamot plans on sacking Mr. Malfoy as early as tomorrow! You know what that means right?"

"It means that Raspodin will be declared the winner of the election, by default. Thanks Prunella."

"Mrs. Malfoy..I feel horrible asking this, because you have your hands so full, but…If they do sack Mr. Malfoy, then I'll be fired too." Hermione laid a hand on Draco's long time secretary and gazed warmly into her eyes.

"You will never have to worry about a job, Prunella. You are as loyal as they come. But, I fully intend to get Draco out of Azkaban and to save his job. Now, I have a meeting to attend. Of course, they don't know it yet. But they have one too," Hermione said looking across the hall at the council chambers. They were in session, as noted by the swirling purple hourglass outside the courtroom. Hermione swallowed and exchanged a quick word with Nathaniel, before busting through the doors and spouting off a mouthful of legal mumbo jumbo.

"Mrs. Malfoy, we are in session as you can see. You can schedule an appointment and I promise we will accept your request, but you just cannot…"

"Save it. My husband is sitting in Azkaban right now being tormented by a pack of ravenous dementors! So, what are we going to do about that?" Hermione said tossing her hair and crossing her arms in front of her.

"Mrs. Malfoy…"

"Cut it out Poppy! I'm Hermione to you and Draco is Draco to your husband, Benjamin. We're your son's godparents for merlin's sakes!"

"Yes, I know, Hermione, but the fact still remains, that Draco broke the law and as such he has to..Oh hell, I can't do this!" The witch said as she took leave of her seat and approached the chairman, an idealistic wizard known as Grumpy by Draco and his peers, ironically enough. "I must excuse myself from this case. Hermione and Draco are friends of the family." The chairpman nodded and sighed. Hermione didn't stop there though. She reminded each and every member of the Wizengamot, of the ways in which Draco had helped them throughout the years.

"Remember that little problem you had with the bottle? You begged Draco for your job and he put you into a recovery program, Willis?"

She stepped to the next robed council member. "You like to steal the shoes of your assistants and female employees. Draco found out about your little fetish and moved you to a position overseeing the Quidditch World Cup, or else you would be out on your arse! Honestly, how many was it? Fifty pairs of shoes in your chambers? And you—" Hermione looked at the young man siting next to the previous wizard. "Well, I don't know you. Where did you come from?" Hermione glared at the young man sitting before her.

"I had you for Arithmancy, when you were substituting for Miss Chambers at Hogwarts, after a student gave her a poisonous apple as a prank." Hermione smiled and the wizard chairman, threw his hands up in the air in complete exasperation.

"Philip Rosegarten! You made top marks and were such a polite and bright young student," Hermione said, remembering who the young wizard was. "I gave you a recommendation to work at the Ministry. So, yeah, you owe me too!" The young man smiled at her and winked and Hermione knew that she at least had his vote, for remembering his name, and stroking his ego.

"Draco rushed your son to the hospital wing, after he ate poisonous berries while watching the quidditch match. Draco was the coach too! He left a young wizards league game that my son caught his first ever snitch at, to bring your son to the hospital wing after he choked and turned blue!"

"Alright Mrs. Malfoy we get the point. You know all of us and Draco has led an exemplary record up until recently." What do you want from us? Our hands are tied here. I can't let him out of Azkaban, without some kind of proof to refute the evidence. He confessed for Merlin sake! He nailed his own coffin shut when he did that."

"Yes, and he didn't have representation. It clearly states, right here, in the MCAB (Minister's Code and Bylaw's) that a Minister _must _have representation, before which time he is questioned by the Wizengamot, on such maters that could incriminate him."

"Where are you seeing that law Hermione, Er…Mrs. Malfoy." Hermione smiled at the slip of tongue by the elderly wizard who was chairman. The entire council began flipping through the enormous, two thousand page book. Hermione saw many yawns from the council members, who had already been in session for three hours, before Hermione rudely interrupted their session. She was going to make sure that they stayed another three hours, unless they relented and gave into her demands.

"It's right here, on page one thousand, two hundred, twenty two. If you will look at subsection four hundred and seventy five, paragraph eighteen, line thirty seven, you will see the law clearly expressed." Hermione stood back and waited for the council to find the appropriate bylaw. Some had to look over at the witch or wizard sitting next to them, to see where this law was written, as the writing was very small. When she saw an elderly woman, straining to read the small print, so Hermione took it upon herself to conjure a magnifying glass for the old woman. The woman thanked her kindly and the chairman huffed, not at all fooled by Hermione's ploy to gain favor amongst the council.

"This is in regards to the hypothetical situation of a female Witch becoming Minister of Magic and then being forced to resign, because of pregnancy. I fail to see how this is relevant," the chairman said flatly.

"Oh? So what are you implying? Surely, you aren't implying that female witches are protected from being unlawfully excused from their position without representation, yet a wizard isn't protected by the same bylaws? I know you didn't mean that, because that would be reverse discrimination, and if you turn to page one, subsection one, paragraph one, first sentence, it clearly states that, "It is the Ministry of Magic's purpose to preserve and protect all that live under magic's rule."

Hermione stopped and reread that. No, it couldn't be. It was staring her in the face the whole time! She became very excited at what those simple words said. They were by far the most important words in the entire two thousand page book, and they were the first words printed in the book. She couldn't wait to tell Draco what she had found. It was so simple, yet right there for all to see.

"We would never assume to infringe upon anyone's rights, witch or wizard. You made your point Mrs. Malfoy, but it would do you justice to wipe the smirk off your face. Now, what can we do to satisfy you? I prefer not to sift through a million different subsections and paragraphs, as I'm supposed to meet Sarah for lunch and I'm already quite late."

"I want you to rescind Draco's confession and give him a proper trial with representation," Hermione went in for the kill. She could tell that the chairman was in no mood for games.

"A new trial is granted, however the confession stands as evidence."

"But Sir…Draco made that confession under duress, without representation. Since I am his counsel, I can tell you that I categorically would have advised him NOT to make that confession, without considering and more importantly interpreting, all of the facts."

"That being so, he did make the confession and if you will turn to page two hundred, forty seven, subsection twelve, paragraph one, you will see that upon taking the oath of Minister of Magic, the Wizengamot vows to take the word of the Minister as truth. Now, if you are implying that he willingly lied, then I could dismiss the confession; however that would mean that Draco broke his first vow as Minister and in doing so, the Wizengamot could toss him out on his kiester, for lack of a better word. Is this your client's stance on the matter?" Shit! Hermione thought to herself.

"No, sir. We will accept the new trial. I will need time to prepare a defense however. And…I will need access to my client, so I can prepare his case. Of course, from sources it is believed that my client is unable to process information and function normally, while sitting inside Azkaban with the dementors so close.

"Yes, sources. I wonder just who your source was?" The chairman almost smiled at saying that and Hermione knew he had found out about her late night visit to Draco. For some reason he wasn't exposing that to he council though.

"I request that bail be set so I can work with Mr. Malfoy in a setting more conducive to business matters such as these." Hermione held her breath and hoped that the chairman would allow Draco to go free, if only until the trial was held.

"He attacked aurors. Bail is not an option. I will however, allow your client access to the holding cells that are protected from dementor intervention. See the shift auror at Azkaban, to have your client moved to the holding cell, while you are in conference with your client. He will however, have to go back to his regular cell once your meetings have concluded." The chairman glanced over the rim of his spectacles at Hermione and plumped his lips, deep in thought. "Mrs. Malfoy…I am going to relax the normal etiquette at Azkaban and allow you unlimited visitation, seeing as this is such an unusual and high profile case. If nobody has any objections to my ruling, I will file this motion?" Hermione glanced around the courtroom and all seemed to be agreement.

"Sir," Hermione piped in.

"Yes Mrs. Malfoy? Something else?"

"Nothing that I'm sure you are not already aware of Sir, it's just that…Because Draco made that confession under duress and without the services of a counselor, I would like to enter a motion to abolish the hearing scheduled for tomorrow, to decide Draco's fate as Minister. Such decisions, should not be made until after his trial and since you have allowed Draco a trial, I would be most eager to make sure that should he be proven innocent of the alleged crimes, that he have a job to come back to. I would also like to inquire as to the Ministry's position on his reelection campaign?" Hermione knew she was pushing it here. She wasn't supposed to know about the closed session that was being held tomorrow, where Draco's job status would be decided. Prunella had slipped and told her and now Hermione had just challenged the council, a move that could be viewed as predatory in nature.

"I have no idea how you know about that, nor do I even want to know. Telling me how to do my job, Mrs. Malfoy? He is still Minister, until which time his trial commences. Upon the decision, his fate will be decided in a CLOSED session by the Wizengamot, by which you will NOT be invited to attend, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Yes,Sir. Thank you all," Hermione smiled. Draco was still Minister and would not be declared unfit until which time as a guilty verdict was handed down. She would not allow that to happen of course.

"Session has come to a close!" The chairman banged his gavel.

The council members exited one by one and whispered their words of support for Hermione. Hermione gathered her briefs and books. She hadn't had to break out many of the books and briefs, that she had brought and was thankful. She got more then she thought she would, in the end.

Draco did not receive bail, allowing him to go free until a proper hearing could be heard, and this was a devastating blow, but it was never a realistic objective and Hermione knew that. Retaining his job as Minister, getting him a trial and more importantly, time to come up with the goods on Raspodin, and also getting Draco moved out of his cell with unlimited visitation with Hermione, was definitely reason to celebrate. Hermione breezed out of the courtroom, with a smile on her face and greeted Nathaniel, who was eagerly waiting for the verdict. His rigid shoulders relaxed upon seeing her smile and wink.

"Mrs. Malfoy, can I have a word?" The chairman pulled her away for a moment. "Should I ever need a defense attorney, I want you. One more thing…Make my job easy during the trial, unlike today. Get the goods on Raspodin. Despite our professional interactions in the court room, I always thought of Draco as a younger version of myself. He's a good man and a good Minister and I'm sorry if I was hard on you in there, but it's because I respect your husband, that I had to make you work for all you received today. Anything less, would be a dishonor to the work your husband has done here, creating an honest and hard working Ministry." Hermione smiled and shook his hand. "Will I see you at the benefit tonight? My daughter would kill me if I didn't ask if she could meet Scorpius." Hermione blushed and thanked him and assured him, that Scorpius would do anything for his daughter, short of bearing him a grandchild.

Before turning to leave the Ministry, Hermione looked out over the sea of offices and office employees. She flicked her wand once and something started to move on the stacks and stacks of photocopied papers she had made at the muggle library. With one more flick of her wand, the sheets flew through the air, landing on every Ministry employees desk. Nathaniel snatched one of the papers from the air and looked at it, curious as to what Hermione had been doing at the muggle library this morning. He almost teared up at what he saw. It was a picture of Draco holding baby Jillian and kissing her soft blond hair tenderly. Under the picture it read:

"Is this the face of a criminal? Or the face of a father and a husband and the next Minister of Magic? We ask for your support." Hermione watched as the papers landed in the hands of some of the Ministry employees. The witches especially, looked at the picture, and Hermione could see their heartwarming smiles as they ooooed and ahhhed over the drop dead gorgeous, Draco Malfoy and the daughter he loved more then life itself that cooed happily in his arms.

.

.

Hermione wanted to pass out more flyers to some of the businesses on Diagon Alley, so she and Nathaniel walked along the narrow street and did just that. They passed by her favorite jewelers and Hermione stopped to admire something that caught her eye.

"Isn't it exquisite?" Hermione tapped Nathaniel on the shoulder and he stole a glance at the silver chain with a dragon pendant on the end of the chain.

"It is very nice, but it isn't for witches, it's for wizards."

"I know silly," Hermione smiled. "I was thinking it would make a nice gift for Draco." She admired the small dragon charm with its green emerald eyes and its spiny back and wings.

"I think you should get it for him."

"Perhaps when he gets out, I will."

"Why wait? Get it for him now." Nathaniel nearly dragged Hermione into the shop and a few minutes later, she came out with a tiny box in her hand.

.

.

Hermione had told the auror in charge at Azkaban, that Nathaniel was her assistant on the case and being that he was supposed to be co-counsel, he was allowed access. Nathaniel had spoken of getting in, in any way that he could if her ploy didn't work, so Hermione was quite pleased that the auror had been more busy listening to the quidditch on the radio, then concerned about who was coming into the prison.

Hermione waited anxiously in the holding cell for the guards to bring Draco in. The room was clean and warm. It was an ugly color of yellow, with paint chipping off the walls and ceiling, but to a prisoner, this must be as close to seeing sun as they would ever get. There was a wooden table with two chairs, assumedly for prisoner and counsel, a sink and a small shower and an old cot against the wall in the corner of the room.

She heard shouting outside the doorway as she stood and listened to the din that was taking place on the other side of the thick steel door.

"Don't fucking touch me you fucking wanker! I swear to gods, I'll tear this bloody shithole down, once I get back in office. This place is as good as gone, you abusive pricks! I'll blow this place to smithereens. That's a campaign promise you can take to Gringott's!" Hermione knew Draco's husky voice. Suddenly the door swung open and Draco was shoved through it. He fell against the hard floor, his shirt completely ripped and tattered and his shoes and socks, gone.

"Fuckers! I had those handmade!" Draco pounded his fists against the floor.

"Draco?" Hermione called out and Draco scooted on his back and slid himself into the corner. Hermione could see the sheer terror in his expression when he saw her. "Dragon, it's me. Don't you recognize me?" He had seemed so much like himself only a moment ago, but now he would not look at Hermione and his hands were covering his ears, as if trying to block out her voice.

"Hermione, he'll be okay, just do me a favor. Go back over there and sit down. Give me a minute," Nathaniel said.

"What's wrong with him Nathaniel? Please, Draco, I love you baby, what's happened to you?"

"Hermione! Please! Wait over there and I'll sort out what they've done to him." Hermione backed up in shock. Tears were already welling in her eyes. When she would approach him though, he would shudder and try to get away from her. She sank back in the chair and watched from across the room, as Nathaniel knelt in front of Draco with his hands outstretched and whispering under his breath.

"Draco, it's your brother. It's Nathaniel. Do you remember me?" Draco looked up and stared at him, as if trying to decide if it was really him or not. Nathaniel moved closer to Draco and at first Draco tried to slide across the floor to get away from him, but Nathaniel reached out and grabbed him in his arms, wrapping his arms tightly around his brother, so he couldn't get away. Draco fought against him, screaming out, that it wasn't real--he wasn't real.

"Shhh, it's me. I'm here and so is your wife. We both love you very much and it's going to be alright."

"Nathaniel?" Draco asked and Nathaniel hugged him tighter. Hermione was bawling her eyes out as she watched the two brothers hug.

"Yeah. They showed you things Draco, but they weren't real. What you see now before you, _is _real. You can trust me. Hermione is here. Would you like to see Hermione?" Draco clutched onto Nathaniel and wept.

"The dementors made me see horrible things. I saw Hermione and the baby and …" Draco gulped, and trembled. His night had been a vicious one. The demntors had stayed with him and his cell mates the entire night, giving them all visions of horror and sucking at their very souls. One of his cellmates gauged his own eyes out, so he didn't have to see what they showed him. Draco sobbed for a moment into Nathaniel's sleeve, and Nathaniel cupped his hand behind his brother's head and patted his back, whispering soothing words. Finally Draco wiped his tears away and sat up.

"How have I let this place stay open for this long? Hermione?" He staggered to his feet. Their eyes met and Hermione found herself looking into silver puddles. He slowly opened his arms.

"Sweetpea? Still want to hug a dirty wizard, who hasn't bathed in a few days?" Draco held his arms outstretched.

"Oh Dragon!" Hermione ran at him and flung herself into his arms. Nathaniel smiled widely and quietly exited the room. Hermione heard a scuffle going on outside the doorway, but she was too busy reveling in the feeling of having her man in her arms again to be bothered with it. He kissed her frantically and she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him lovingly.

When Draco's brother returned a few minutes later, Draco and Hermione were still standing in the middle of the room hugging and kissing. His head had moved down to her neck and she was squeezing his firm and tight little arse. Nathaniel dropped something on the floor next to Draco and then gave them a moment of privacy, backing away.

Hermione and Draco both looked down to see Draco's dragon boots lying on the floor at his feet. Draco looked at Nathaniel and his brother just smirked and put his wand back in his pocket.

Review!?

I actually wrote this last night, but was too tired when I finished to edit and revise, so….sorry for the short delay. I love all your reviews! Windskii-Yes I have seen that picture of Felton as Draco that you are referring to lol I am counting down the days to the next movie! Felton is in a horror flick that is coming out called The Disappeared. There is a trailer out for it. I do enjoy his portrayal of Draco Malfoy, and this should be his movie to shine in. I hope to see his acting chops again, as he's been virtually written out of the last couple movies almost entirely, which I don't get considering he has a HUGE fanbase. I think he was a bit of a scene stealer though, and back in the early movies Dan's acting ability was not as well honed as it was now. Obviously they couldn't have Draco Malfoy, outshining Harry Potter...In any case I am a fan as well! Everyone's reviews have been great! Keep it up! One or two chapters to go. I will write another Broomsticks story, me thinks. I probably won't update it as fast as this one but I will still update a couple times a week if not more. MY original book characters Jillian (yes I plucked the name of Draco and Hermione's baby from my original story and used it here) and William, desperately need me to breathe some life into them!


	18. What Lurks

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 18

"Don't you have anything else to do, somewhere else maybe?" Drew shot a swift glance at Persephone, who was engrossed in a textbook. Persephone looked up to see a very hot and bothered Damien Stratton sitting next to Drew on the sofa, tapping his fingers on his knees.

"Oh! Well, not really. Scorpius kicked me out of the bedroom because he's writing a song for the benefit tonight. But, I mean…I guess I can go outside and read. You both should try to do some studying too. I am so afraid I am going to get behind in school. OWLS are just around the corner, and…"Persephone trailed off when she realized they were both looking at her strangely. "Aren't you, worried too?"

"No, this is awesome that we don't have to go to school. I wish someone would threaten my life more often," Drew said and Damien chuckled and grabbed her around the waist, throwing her back on the sofa.

"Just a reminder, that Ginny and Narcissa are around here some place," Persephone said turning to leave.

"No they aren't. Narcissa is taking a nap and Ginny left suddenly when she received an owl from my Uncle Harry. Lily and Luke are downstairs, and baby Jillian is sleeping. That means we are alone," Drew said with a sultry stare. Damien captured her lips with his mouth and Persephone turned away feeling embarrassed.

.

"Wait! Did you grow three sets of hands? I swear you move so fast!"

"Shit Drew, I want you. I thought you wanted me too?"

"I do, it's just…Do you have contraception?"

"No. We never worried about it before."

"Yeah, and I have a baby because of it," Drew said casually before she realized what she said. Damien shot up.

"Are you saying…Drew! Is your son…Is he…The boy…Is he?"

"Yours."

"Mine? Drew! He isn't Luke's? I just assumed he was a Malfoy."

"He's yours. Still, want to shag me?" Damien sat back on the couch with a dazed look on his face.

"Water," Damien finally uttered. Drew left and returned with a glass of water. He took it from her and then threw the entire drink in his own face.

"What in the hell!"

"I'm sorry, I thought I must be dreaming. Drew, do you know how wonderful this is? Dear old Dad, the fucker tried to fuck me right up the arse, but I fucked him! I have a son!" Damien said leaping from his seat and pacing the room.

"You lost me?"

"Oh Drew! We are rich! We are so fucking wealthy. I mean really wealthy. And I have a son! That means I can teach him how to play quidditch, and teach him how to ride a horse. He will get a pony on his third birthday of course. When will he start to play quidditch? Is he potty trained? Do you want more kids, because I always thought I'd have two kids, one boy and one girl, although two boys would be okay. I just don't want him to be an only child. I never had a sibling and it was quite boring during summers with nobody to play with." Damien spoke a mile a minute and Drew could barely keep up.

"So, you're happy about it?"

"Oh, hell yes! I mean, fuck yeah! I mean, Drew, will you marry me?" Drew plopped down on the floor at that, her mouth agape.

.

.

Scorpius stopped playing and took the quill he had been holding between his teeth, and scribbled down a few more notes and lyrics. He wanted to play something special for his mother (and father though he knew Draco would not be there) at the benefit. He started to write and his hand shook. He held his hand out to see that his hand was trembling. He strummed a few more chords on the guitar and then set the guitar down, it was no use, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it. He needed Luke. He was in withdrawals. Luke could make them go away. He couldn't afford to be like this tonight at the benefit. Everybody would be there and his head was feeling foggy again. He traipsed down the stairs and stopped when he saw Damien on bended knee.

"Drew will you marry me?" Damien said, in a sincere tone, that Scorpius honestly never knew existed. He had never seen his cocky friend, acting like an actual gentlemen, an actual person! Then again, most would say the same thing about Scorpius.

"I must have died and gone to hell. Did I just witness a marriage proposal?"

"You did arsehole," Damien laughed. Drew was hanging on Damien's neck and grinning from ear to ear.

"Drew, you actually intend to marry this prick?" Scorpius smirked.

"Careful Malfoy, or I won't ask you to be my best man." Scorpius gave Damien a manly embrace and then shook his hand.

"Congrats man! Now me and Sapphire won't be the only married couple at Hogwarts."

"Where is Persephone? I was thinking of asking her to be my maid of honor."

"Really? Drew that's so cool. She's had such a bad time of fitting in around here and she's wicked jealous of all the girls."

"Yeah, you were never this popular in America," Damien snickered. "Bloody Poms. Would you like a spot of tea and some chips dipped in mayonnaise? And what's with none of you actually opening your mouths when you speak? It's like you have a mouth full of marbles!" Damien did his best British impersonation.

"Hey now, you are marrying one of those Poms, as you like to call us!" Drew said.

"Alright, well, I need to pay my little brother a visit in the dungeon. Goodluck with your first fight. I'm sure it won't be the last. And when you make up… Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Scorpius winked.

"Piss off wanker," Damien shot Scorpius in the arse with one of the toffee's Narcissa had sitting in a crystal dish on the coffee table.

"Yankee blueblood," Scorpius muttered rubbing his bum. "I'll get you when you're least expecting it prick!"

.

.

Lily was hovering over Luke, watching him brew the last reverse spell. She enjoyed just watching her boyfriend work, and since there was nothing better to do, she indulged in one of her favorite pastimes.

"Luke…"

"Lily..." Luke replied with a smirk.

"Is there always so much of it, every time?"

"So much of what sweetie." Lily lightly pinched his stomach when he called her that.

"You know, when you came. Is that a normal amount?"

Scorpius had walked into the lab, turned right around and started back out the door. He stopped in the doorway and spoke.

"What is it with me walking in on strange conversations today? First Damien asks Drew to marry him and now this." He sighed, "Luke, I need you to help me out buddy."

"Excuse me. I need to talk to Drew!" Lily said blushing and turning her face away from Scorpius as she passed.

"You stud! You and Lily getting it on now? What happened to waiting, you hypocrite," Scorpius laughed.

"You are supposed to knock before you enter a room, but for your information, we did not have …well we did, but we didn't. No, we did not have sex," Luke replied, still grappling with his own definition of sex.

"Bullshit. I know what I heard."

"There are other things that two people can do besides THAT," Luke replied pouring the last vial of separated potion into a beaker.

"Blowjob?" Scorpius said casually.

"Merlin, no!"

"I wouldn't say it that way Luke. One day you'll be begging her for one and that's when you will figure out that women really have our nuts in a vice." Luke gave him a doubtful stare. "It's true, and once you realize it you will quit thinking that you call the shots. They say when we have sex. It's our job to keep asking for it. Makes them feel desirable." Scorpius took the apple that Ginny had brought down with Luke's lunch and bit into it. Luke scoffed at his remark and shook his head. Scorpius jumped up in his suave and cool casual fashion, onto the table where Luke worked, and took a load off. His knees were shaking, but he didn't want Luke to know what extent.

"Careful! I'm almost done here." Luke said steadying the vials that were swaying in the testube holder. If this liquid turns a light shade of magenta, then Dad was right. It just has to sit for a couple minutes. So tell me, what do you want from me?"

"What the fuck is magenta?" Scorpius said leaning over the potion and sniffing it.

"It's a color…sort of pink but not. Look, I'm pretty busy here," Luke said growing intolerant of Scorpius's presence. He tolerated Lily in his lab because she was such a lovely distraction, but generally, Luke preferred the solitude of the lab--the sounds of the cauldron bubbling and brewing, soothing him after a stressful day.

"I'm withdrawing. Can you work your magic and give me something to make it go away?"

"You know Scorpius, I'm really proud of you. I didn't think you'd kick it so easily, but then I guess your whole life you've always done exactly what you wanted. Yeah, I have something you can take. Take half now and half later and you should be good to go."

"Thanks bro. I owe you. Oh shit, is that magenta?" Scorpius said looking at the beaker full of pinkish potion.

"I love you Scorpius! Dad was right and so was Lily and so was I!" Luke hugged Scorpius and then held him by the shoulders and shook him.

"Okay, okay awesome news! Now can you please stop shaking me to death?"

"Oh, sorry. Do you know what this means though?"

"It means, I need to give you some privacy because your about to cream your pants over a bloody potion? Or maybe Lily will help you do that? Huh bro?" Scorpius said in jest with a smirk.

"I don't know how you got a wife. Persephone must be blind and deaf."

"Persephone must be blind and deaf, why?" Sapphire said, walking into the lab and slinking an arm over Scorpius's shoulders. Luke ignored her question and rather analyzed his potion.

"Whoever runs Ancient's Apothecary has been tainting the potion that increases breast milk production! Dad was right! Do you know what this means!?"

"Revolting..." Persephone spat. "Just to let you know Scorpius, I don't intend on having kids until I'm much, much older. I came down here to tell you that Drew and Damien are planning their next kid. Can you believe that!"

"Oh, and here I was planning on picking out a house for us. But I guess since we aren't having kids we can live with my Mum and Dad for years and years," Scorpius snickered and Sapphire punched him in the arm.

"Were you really thinking of buying us a house? You are so adorable. I love you. Can I pick it out?" Sapphire rubbed her nose against Scorpius's, while Luke looked on in complete bewilderment.

"Did you hear me? We just made a breakthrough of wizardorical proportion here today, and you all playing cutesy talking about houses and babies!" Luke stood on the table now, his black hard soled loafers clicking on the black marble table as he began to dance around atop the table. "SEA MONSTERS! Who would have thought?"

"Bloody hell, he's gone mental! Don't worry Luke, Sapphire is training to be a healer. She can fix you right up. And then she can fix me too, upstairs in the bedroom." They all laughed as Luke continued his impromptu tap dance on the table, not even caring that potion was splashing about. He had his answer and it was bigger then he could have ever predicted.

.

.

Hermione set out a meal fit for a king, on the wood table in the holding cell, while Draco showered. Food deprivation was one of the many hardships the prisoners of Azkaban were forced to endure.

"How did you manage all of this?" Nathaniel asked Hermione. She was busy laying down a tablecloth and placing numerous plates of food out on the table.

"I shrunk them. I brought all of Draco's favorite foods. Do you think it's enough?"

"I think you brought too much. He hasn't eaten anything much at all in days and he probably won't be able to eat very much," Nathaniel said dipping his finger in a frothy pudding. Hermione smiled at him.

"What?"

"Oh nothing…Just that…That's Draco's favorite dessert too," Hermione was positively beaming.

"Hermione, I'm going to leave you both, but before I do I need to see that dragon charm necklace you bought."

"Oh? Alright, sure. I saw one that I thought would make a nice Christmas present for you in the store too, so don't go back and buy it." Hermione handed the necklace over to Nathaniel and he wrapped it around his fist. He then held his wand to his temples and Hermione watched, as long silver strands of memory were pulled from Nathaniel's mind. He tapped the dragon charm on the end of the necklace with his wand and the silver worm of light was sucked into the charm. He smiled and handed it back to Hermione.

"Uhhh, what did you just do? I can't give Draco anything that the dementors will sense. Any Dark Magic could land him in worse trouble then he's already in."

"What's this about dark magic?" Draco said exiting the shower with only a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair was wet and Hermione felt her breath sucked away as she stood gazing at her beautiful husband. She noticed bruises and cuts allover his back and arms and she immediately began fussing over him with her wand, healing what she could.

"Hermione has a gift for you."

Hermione stopped fussing at that. She was a little surprised that Nathaniel had blown her surprise, little did she know that it was she that was going to get the surprise. She gave the silver chain with the dragon charm on it, to Draco. His eyes lit up when he saw it.

"I'm stuck in here and you go shopping?" Draco said smirking as he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. "I love it."

"Now, if you will both join hands. I need to cast the final charm on the chain."

"Nathaniel…Care to explain what you are doing?"

"Trust me?" Nathaniel said and Hermione stared into his eyes. She took Draco's hand in hers. Draco seemed fascinated and eager, but Hermione had reservations about trusting Nathaniel so implicitly. She decided, that Nathaniel had no intention of hurting either of them. Not after he had held Draco so dearly and soothed his fears.

"Draco, wrap the chain around both yours and Hermione's hands."

"Binding spell?" Hermione asked.

"Sort of. Someone did this for me once when I was in jail and it saved my life, quite literally. I never got to thank her properly. I never even knew her name, but for a month, until I escaped, I …Well, I lived life through her eyes. Enough of that." Nathaniel pointed his wand at the couple's hands and whispered an indecipherable phrase in Latin. Red sparks shot from the dragon pendant followed by a green swirling light and then it was done.

"What just happened?" Draco asked. "I felt a bolt of energy travel from my hand to my head. Hermione nodded in confusion, herself having felt the strange energy as well.

"Now, when you rub the dragon pendant between your fingers, you can see what Hermione sees. It's invaluable, when you are being tortured. In any case, that's my gift to you both. Hermione, you don't have to worry about Draco, and you can go home and get some rest after your visit, and Draco, you are safe from the dementors power over your thoughts. Just escape into your wife, when it gets bad."

"She won't receive the torturous and unhappy thoughts or anything, will she? I don't want Hermione to experience the dementors wrath."

"No, no. She will only feel your presence. She will know when you are viewing what she is."

"And it's safe, right?" Hermione asked.

"It is completely safe to you and Draco," Nathaniel replied.

"Thank you, Nathaniel! You have been so good to us. I don't know how I can ever repay you." Hermione hugged her bother in law. He big them farewell and told Hermione to call on him should she need an escort out of Azkaban.

As he left, a wicked grin came over his face. So what if he didn't tell his brother everything about the spell he cast? There were some things that his "lightie" brother didn't need to know. Needless to say, the dementors wrath would be felt, by someone, just not Draco or Hermione, and that was what was really important.

.

.

After Luke's little tap dancing, potions jig on the table, he handed Scorpius a potion to make him feel normal again. He told him to take half now and take the other half at the concert, just to be sure his symptoms didn't come back and then he kicked his brother and his wife out of his lab. He couldn't wait to tell Lily what he had discovered. She had gone with her Mum and brother to meet Harry Potter, who was apparently back in the country. Luke sifted through books and took notes, smiling to himself with each word that he wrote down, the answer to an age old mystery solved.

"Severus, I couldn't have done it without you! Your notes and theories were almost completely right on," Luke said talking to himself.

Scorpius returned to the lab after a zesty shag with his lovely wife.

"Now, are you going to tell us what you discovered? Both Sapphire and I want to know."

"I didn't know you cared about potions?" Luke raised an eyebrow at his brother.

"Yeah, I don't really. It's more like a piece of food that gets stuck in your teeth after a meal. It drives you crazy until you get it out. Just bloody tell us already! Is Dad going to come home?" Luke was dying to tell somebody so he indulged his bother and his wife.

"Okay, well, once I found the active ingredient in the genugreek potion was Sea Monster blood, I remembered a book that Severus Snape was working on before he died. Since Dad got most of Snape's potions book and notes and things, I browsed through Grandfather's shelf and sure enough there it was. I owe that to Lily really. She was the one who turned my interest to the old books, that I just forgot were even there. So anyways, I read this particular book of Snape's back when I was six, for some light reading on that stupid bloody summer vacation to Paris that Mum and Dad took us on."

"Oh, remember Paris Scorpius? We made so much noise that the bloody manager had to…Nevermind. Sea monsters?" Persephone asked. Scorpius leaned in and kissed Sapphire's neck, clearly more interested in his wife's intoxicating scent and ready for round two now that he felt better, thanks to Luke's potion. She ran her fingers through his hair as Luke went on.

"It's something potions masters don't know much about. Because the sea monsters are such elusive creatures, nobody has ever really proved the theory. Anyways, after Lily reminded me of the books, I browsed until I hit pay dirt. Look at this." Luke pulled out an old notebook of Snape's.

"Here…Snape believed that the naturally occurring substance inside a sea monsters blood, was what made them invisible to muggles and wizards alike. He theorized that the sea monster's magic came from the opposite end of the spectrum, that our own magic comes from. Kind of like the opposite of our magic, yet producing much the same effect. Like a point on a line, there is a negative point of the same distance from zero, its counterpart."

"English Luke…Speak English," Scorpius reminded. This was something Luke had heard a thousand times form his brother over the years. Scorpius liked to rib Luke, by calling it geek talk and Luke was a master at it. Luke ignored Scorpius like he always did.

"He couldn't prove it, because nobody's ever found a carcass of a sea monster, in order to do the proper testing."

"Okay, then how do you know that this substance you found in the genugreek is this rare sea monster blood? And why would Ancient's Apothecary, put it into a potion that could possibly harm a child?" Persephone asked very good questions, but Luke just smiled widely.

"The belief of potions master's like Snape and others, was that the Sea Monster is able to turn itself invisible because of the magical substance in their blood. I know a thing or two about invisibility substances remember?" Luke laughed.

"Don't remind me. My eyebrows were singed," Persephone snorted with laughter thinking about the flaming Scorpius running out of the ballroom on their first date back in America.

"Remember Mum got me that microscope, Scorps?"

"Yeah, so."

"I looked at the foreign substance under the microscope and then I used the scientific method. I was able to sift through the magical creatures guide and figure out which phylum the blood from this reptile belonged. It's somewhere between a snake and a dinosaur and the blood agrees with that finding." Luke took a deep breath.

"So basically, the blood has to come from a sea monster. Once I knew it was the blood in the genugreek, I went back and reanalyzed all the other baby line products from Ancient's. I found it in trace amounts in all of the potions. If a child just took one dose per day of one of the potions, it probably would not affect them. The genugreek had the largest amounts of the toxic sea monster blood, but all of the baby line products had it in small doses. Since most mothers use all of the products anyway, it is feasible to believe that this is what has caused the high number of squib births in our society. You see, sea monsters blood attacks the magic in our blood. Like magnets, their blood and ours are drawn to each other. It's what makes us like them, just as we are like unicorns or house elves, or any of the magical creatures. We are different, yet the same. Give me your finger and I'll show you." Scorpius drew back when Luke tried to reach for his hand in order to prick his finger.

"Use your own hand! I don't want something attacking the magic in my blood! I rather like my magic and want to keep it," Scorpius laughed.

"You can use my blood," came a voice from behind the trio. Everyone spun around in shock, to see Harry Potter standing in the doorway, with Ginny and Lily and James flanking his sides.

"Hey! You made it back," Luke said eagerly staring straight at Lily. Their looks were not lost on either Ginny or Harry either.

"Yes, and it seems we have some work to do, to get your Dad out of Azkaban. Interesting theory Luke, show me…" Harry said. He held out his hand and Luke pricked his finger. A droplet of blood rose from Harry's skin and Luke placed a mirror under his hand. Harry let it fall on the marble surface of the table.

"Now watch when I mix a droplet of Ancient's Apothecary's genugreek potion, with your blood." As soon as Luke applied one drop from the eyedropper, the sea monster's blood attacked Harry's blood. It was if they were watching a war go on and neither drops of blood wanted to mix with the other. The magenta colored sea monster's blood dissolved and turned red, just like Harry Potter's blood. Harry's blood eventually won out, but not without a fight.

"The magic in your blood fought off the sea monsters blood. Imagine if your blood, which is a lot more magical then most witches and wizards, was instead, baby blood."

"Yes. A baby or a child whose magic hasn't reached it's full maturity, wouldn't stand a chance against something this powerful," Harry said, putting this all together. "So does that mean that these kids, the squibs, can turn themselves invisible? That maybe they do have magic but it just resides on the opposite end of the spectrum?" Harry asked. Ginny was shaking her head as if this was way over her head. It was Scorpius who opened his mouth and shocked everyone with the answer though.

"Sea Monsters are reptiles, and their blood isn't the same temperature as ours."

"That's right." Luke said, surprised. "Witches and wizards blood is warmer and the invisibility the sea monster use so nobody can see them, is a defense mechanism that occurs in the dark deep waters of the Scottish Lochs. It would highly unlikely that their magic could survive in any other life form besides another sea monster," Luke explained.

"How did someone come across the blood of a sea monster?"

"They would have to live in the lochs where they reside, or at least spend a lot of time there searching for the sea monsters." Harry finished for him.

"Like you. You live there, don't you?" Scorpius said glaring at Harry.

"Yep. You're right, but I've never seen the Loch Ness Monster, if that's what you are getting at.. I think I need to pay a little visit to my neighbors down the way. Maybe they have seen something, or know something. Good work, both of you. I'm sure Hermione is quite proud of you both, and Luke…Sometime when this is over with, I think we need to have a little talk about my daughter—lay down some ground rules." Luke gulped at Harry's words.

"Yes, sir," Luke said respectfully. Harry smiled.

"Don't worry. I approve of Lily dating you. Our talk will only be a _little_ scary for you," Harry winked and Luke let out the breath he was holding in.

.

.

"Drew? Drew!" Ron said, finding his daughter underneath Damien Stratton with a pair of lips sucking the face of his only daughter. They were deep into a snogging session on the sofa and Drew didn't hear Ron the first time he spoke. The second time he said her name, she shoved Damien off of her and he fell, with a _thud_ to the floor.

"Dad!? How did you get in here? When did you get here? Why are you here?" Drew said, tucking her shirt back in and fluffing her hair

"Is that any way to greet your father? I am still your father, you know. And what's the meaning of this?" Ron said shooting daggers at Stratton.

"Dad, before you get all worked up and your face turns purple and yours ears start to burn red, I have, I mean _we_ have, an announcement. Dad, you remember Damien? Well, he is going to be your son!"

"I'm not adopting him! I'm sorry about your Mum's predicament, but you can't live with us!" Ron said in defiance.

"Dad! We are getting married. Damien is Artie's father! I thought Grams told you in her owl?"

"No. No, she did _not_ tell me! She said Luke dropped the custody case, but she didn't tell me why. You have some explaining to do young lady." Damien was curious too, so the three of them sat down in the Malfoy's parlor and had a good long talk. By the end, Ron swaggered down the stairs to the lab and apologized to Luke for all that his family put him through. Ginny heckled him a little and then she promised Luke, that she would never treat him in such a way and that he was like family to the Potter's already anyway. Lily and Luke both blushed when Ginny began talking about them being childhood sweethearts and how they used to prefer to swim naked in the paddling pool, rather then wear their bathing suits. Thankfully, Harry had already left and didn't hear Ginny's joke.

.

.

"So, are you going to gawk at my body all day, or are you going to give me some clothes to put on?" Draco smirked.

"Well, I thought we could make up for lost time, Dragon," Hermione said in a sultry tone as she yanked the towel away from Draco's waist.

"Come on Hermione, give me my clothes. I couldn't get it up here in this place even if you were lying on that cot over there, getting yourself off, whilst I watched."

"Really? I'd like to take that dare," Hermione said making her way over to the old cot. She covered it with a blanket she brought, just in case they had to eat on the floor she figured it would be useful as a picnic blanket. She lay down and eased her skirt up as a hot-blooded Draco, watched on, cock twitching in his pants and nearly drooling.

"Hermione don't. I don't want to do this in here. This place…I don't want you to have memories of me in here. Let's work on my case instead." Draco ran a hand through his hair and looked down at his erection. Just one glimpse of her cotton knickers and he was hard as a rock. So much for that theory of him not being able to get it up in Azkaban.

"Draco, I love you. It doesn't matter where we are, love is love."

"Yeah, but making love in Azkaban Prison is rather perverse, don't you agree?"

"Oh, I don't know, I think keeping this evil creatures here in ther first place is much more perverse. But I 'spose if you really don't want to make love, there are other things we can do." Hermione slid her finger under her knickers and Draco moved closer to the cot. He lay down next to his wife and wrapped his arms around her, before knocking her hand away from her groin.

"You're so fucking sexy, you know that? But if anyone is going to please my wife while I'm in here, it's going to be me Malfoy."

"I dare you Malfoy," Hermione said putting her hand back down between her legs, just to tease him.

"With that, Draco knocked her hand away again and spread her legs apart, crawling down in between them. His eyes were opened, peering up at Hermione, as his tongue flicked over her sweet cherry. His hands tenderly caressed her thighs and tummy as he sunk into the task at hand. Hermione stroked his hair and moaned his name and before long she was soaring high above the clouds, her climax at hand. Her legs finally fell limp against Draco's arms as he lifted his head up to look at his beautiful wife.

"I missed that so much."

"Missed what?" Hermione said stroking his cheek tenderly, smiling down at him.

"Watching you come. I was reminded recently of how beautiful a person's face can look, when they come." Hermione flushed in embarrassment and Draco smirked. After all the years being together and having hot, wild sex, she still became nervous when Draco talked about their love making. He found it incredibly sexy and sweet.

"You face looks like a devilish angel when you come. It makes me go weak in the knees." Hermione paused, thinking about it and admiring her husband's soft blond hair and his handsome angular jaw and devastatingly sexy light grey eyes. When they were in bed together, she could have sworn that they turned a sparkling silver.

"My turn now. Lay back."

"No. I don't want you doing that in prison."

"Oh shut up you silly prat. I want to suck your cock and I'm going to. It isn't for you as much as it is for me. It's gets lonely at night without you in my bed."

"Well…If my wife can't sleep at night because all she can think about is sucking cock, then far be it for me to turn her into a insomniac. Just be sure to take me nice and deep. I want to watch your pretty pink lips stretch wide, to take all of me." Draco shot her a wicked smile and raised his eyebrows up and down. He laid back and opened his legs and Hermione moved between them, licking his tip and stroking his long rod with her fingers.

"You mean like this Dragon?" Hermione suddenly plunged her whole mouth down over him and Draco let out a husky moan.

"Yes, yes! Oh fuck, YES." She moved quickly and deeply over his throbbing member and then when he was completely lost in oblivion, she crawled on top of him and sat down over him, feeling his thick cock filling her up. His hands automatically went to her hips and he bucked upwards, forcing his entire length into her.

"You cunning little witch. You want to fuck me?" Draco asked, between shuddering pants and Hermione nodded as she slid her tongue across her upper lip. "OH yeahhhhhh, baby, fuck me. You're so wet and your pussy feels so tight around my cock." Draco loved the dirty talk in the bedroom and Hermione reveled in hearing his vivid descriptions. He leaned up and hugged her against him, biting her neck and squeezing her breasts roughly. She couldn't remember ever seeing such an expression on his face. He seemed so in tune and so affected by her touch, like never before. He shivered with each lick of his shoulder, each bite of his neck and each gliding touch of her fingertips against his skin. Their bodies were pressed tightly together and that's when Draco flipped her over and laid down over top of her.

"I want to make love to you. Look into my eyes while I fuck you." He thrust inside her his body completely covering hers. She felt so loved and so protected under him, so much so, she forgot she was even in Azkaban. It was just she and Draco, their bodies tangled as one, making love. Kissing and hugging and touching, sweet and tenderly. His words in her ear this time were not dirty but loving and affectionate and she began to cry at hearing them.

"My face was just here, that first time in the Slytherin common room by the portal. I wanted to kiss your lips; my whole body was tingling just from touching your wrists that day." Draco's lips were hovering ever so close to Hermione's. After he said it, he plunged his tongue into her mouth and kissed her passionately. "Then on my broom, when I took your silky skin into my mouth and sucked on your neck. I wasn't leaving a mark on you that day. I mean…it wasn't intentional. I just couldn't stop myself once I tasted you."

"I love you Dragon. I too felt…the electricity coursing through my body. You were so dangerous back then and then that first time we made love…you rocked my world Draco. Each day since then, has been just like that. I feel so complete with you inside me." Draco thrust into her harder at hearing that.

"I love you too…Only you…Always baby." Draco buried his head in her neck and forced himself inside her harder and faster. Hermione stared up at the ceiling, her arms and legs wrapped tightly around the man of her dreams and she cried at the unabashed bliss she felt…a bliss she only felt with Draco. There was no way that she would ever allow him to stay in Azkaban. It wasn't even in her realm of thinking.

.

Review!?

I lost this entire chapter after a bad computer crash….Grrrr! So…had to rewrite it. Big chappie coming up! Also the last chapter coming up. I think I will write a lead in scene of Jillian too, at end of next chapter…So there will be an Epilogue of sorts, albeit just a scene that kind of introduces Jillian and tells ya just what she is like. hehehe


	19. Rasputin

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 19

**8:45 AM….**

Lucius spun on his heels when he heard a scratching in the walls. He raised and eyebrow and tapped lightly on the wall with his cane. Just rats, he thought to himself. Paris was overrun with them. Still, Luna's former home was extravagant, equaling The Manor in a sick display of wealth and eclectic tastes. He set the penseive down and carefully poured the memory that the high-class whore witch had given him into the swirling magical bowl. He had to coax it out of her quite literally. After several bottles of elf made wine though, her lips became loose. Sheer drunkenness alone wasn't enough to make her spill her guts though. The French aurors had been sniffing around, she said. She was afraid that she would be implicated, and Lucius, being the Slytherin that he was, proclaimed his undying devotion to the whore as a mean of gaining her trust. Inside he felt like throwing up. He didn't drink. In fact, he abhorred those that did. Over indulgence on the bottle was a weakness in Lucius's mind. He merely pretended to drink with the witch. He had to keep his wits about him, afterall, being in a hotel room with a whore was not quite what Lucius had in mind, when Draco asked him to take this complicated assignment. He knew Narcissa trusted him…she had placed a curse on him the last time she felt he might be cheating on her. If Lucius even got an erection in the presence of another woman, then Narcissa's wand would glow orange. Therefore, Lucius kept his ministrations to a minimum. In the end, she gave him this memory and Lucius knocked her out with a simple sleeping spell.

He knelt, and held his flowing hair back to the side as he dipped his distinguished face into the swirling silver bowl. He was thrust into the past with a jolt. He found himself standing in Jean Paul's library.

"Is she a squib?" Jean Paul shouted at a timid Luna.

"Yes. I don't understand…Magic runs strong in my family. My father…"

"Your father was a Death Eater."

"My father owned a newspaper, Jean Paul."

"No, stupid girl. Your father is Lucius Malfoy, Death Eater! I have the proof in my safe. Go on then, Pierre is the password, just use your wand." Luna hesitated but walked to the safe. Suddenly a popping sound could be heard. Raspodin was standing in the library.

"Well, what's the word? Is your filthy daughter a squib or not?" Raspodin said with a cold aloofness.

"She is. I fail to see why you are so anxious though." Raspodin wrapped an arm around Jean Paul and Jean Paul shrugged away, and out of his clutches.

"Luna, did you take all of Ancient's baby line products?"

"Yes I did…but…Jean Paul who is this man? Is this your silent partner? Wait, I recognize you! You were in the Wizard's Inquisitor paper, next to the article about the endangered swoopback owl. Some holy healer healed your impotency problem and then he made some prophecy. Rasputin! That was his name. I don't remember what the prophecy was, because I was more interested in the swoopback owl. They're purple you know? Very rare."

"Stupid girl. I'm Rasputin and once I am in power everyone will know it! This healer is a fake. He threatened me too when I refused to pay him. Said I wouldn't get away with it. Insane I tell you. Then he said that a child's magic, would be my undoing. But we solved that problem with the baby line products. Your child is the first of many Luna dear, to be made into a squib. No point taking any chances." Jean Paul's face became angry, as Luna watched on in confusion.

" If the healer was a fake then why take such drastic measures? You did this to my only daughter? The potions! You had my wife be your pet rat while you experimented on her! Luna, pack your bags and gather the children. We are turning my partner in." Jean Paul began scribbling something down on a piece of parchment frantically. Raspodin snatched the parchment from of his hand and when he read it his eyes grew cold.

"How dare you! We will not pull this line. Did you hear me? I'm rising to power. I will be Minister soon."

"You won't be Minister! I know where you came from. You aren't a descendant of Rasputin. Your mother was a mudblood witch in Bulgaria. Your father was a guard in the Ministry. You lied to me, and now this!" Jean Paul picked up a wand on the desk, which happened to be Luna's wand and pointed it at Raspodin.

"Now, now, just calm down Jean Paul. You always get like this, but I always sooth your worries. You didn't seem to mind my halfblood status when you were in my bed. Did you?"

"I knew about the witch hooker, but men too?" Luna said with tear stained eyes.

"I didn't know he was a liar and a crook. Luna, he made Jessie the way she is, and the baby line products will produce a whole society of squibs! " Lucius was in shock as he listened. He wanted to reach out and hold Luna, but he knew he couldn't, for this was only a memory of the whores. Where was the whore though? Lucius began to scan the room. Nowhere. She wasn't here, yet this _was _her memory. Then it dawned on him, just as he saw Raspodin disarm Jean Paul. Luna ran for the staircase as green lightning shot across the room, hitting Jean Paul in the chest. Raspodin, turned and shot a curse at Luna, who stumbled on the stairs and scampered up the them on all fours. She ran into a room and locked the door behind her. Lucius took chase too, following Raspodin. Lucius walked through the doorway into what looked like the children's playroom. Luna was holding all three of her kids. There came banging on the door and Luna pushed her children, one by one, under the daybed.

"Alohomora!" The wizard shouted and the door popped open. He bent low, his sinister voice calling the children to come out.

"I have yummy tarts with whip cream filling for you. Come out little children. Lollipops and lemon drops. Come out little ones and let us enjoy these magnificent sweets." Lucius could feel his heart beating in his chest. These were his grandchildren and this man was tempting them with sweets, a sinister smile on his face, as he squatted in front of the bed.

"Jessie, no!" Luna's voice came and then Jessie crawled out of from under the bed. Luna was right behind her as she frantically grasped for her daughter.

"Good little squib girl. Come and get the lollies, my sweet." Jessie approached the wizard and Lucius wanted to shout at the girl to get back.

"Obliviate!" Raspodin hit Luna with the spell and she teetered on her feet, in a daze.

"You a bad man," Jessie said biting down on Raspodin's finger as hard as she could. The wizard yelped and held his wand on the little girl. Suddenly popping sounds were heard in the library.

"Aurors..Got to go," Raspodin whimpered. "I'll get you for this you little squib!"

Lucius was suddenly sucked back into the present. He conjured a damp cloth and wiped his face. The whore was Raspodin. That explained the impotence problem, that he saw the holy healer about. The whore was a well known hooker around Paris, sleeping with at least half of the Ministry wizards. That must have been how he got all of his insider knowledge, as well as servicing his own need to be with men. He was gay. He killed Jean Paul because he threatened to expose his illegal line of potions. Lucius went to the safe and whispered the spell.

"Pierre," Lucius said and the safe popped open.

Thick stacks of documents were bunched in the safe. Lucius began to sift through the stack. He was shocked when he came across bank statements from Gringott's with his name on them. It was his Last Will and Testament, where in it, he claims Luna as his daughter. How did Jean Paul did get this? No doubt Raspodin was sleeping with someone at Gringott's too. Lucius was piecing it all together as he sifted though the documents. She had only been visiting Jean Paul that day. Their marriage had long been over with, before his untimely death. For its difficult to make a marriage work, when there is a third party in it, that being Jean Paul's lover and partner. Jean Paul must have ordered Luna to have Jessie tested to see if she was a squib and Luna was forced to comply, judging by the pages and pages of court documents he found in the safe. He wouldn't be shedding any tears for Jean Paul, that's for sure. The words, whacky and kooky, and flakey were allover his documented testimony. He could only imagine his sweet Luna having to sit there and be insulted like that, in a public French court. She deserved so much better. Finally, at the bottom of the stack, he found what he came for. He stuffed the contents of the safe into a cigar box that lay on Jean Paul's desk and then he tucked the penseive under his arm. He felt exhilarated. Now, he just had to get back to England, without being captured by the French Ministry. He knew once the polyjuice potion wore off and Raspodin woke up with a hangover, he would remember that he gave his memory to Lucius. Lucius spat at the thought of touching the whores hair like he did. He had managed not to kiss her, but he had stroked her long dark hair lasciviously, intent on making her believe he wanted her. Lucius was mortified that he had spent all those hours with a man.

"I'm sure he's here! Are you calling me a liar? I woke up and saw him rifling through my things," Raspodin lied to the French Auror.

"Missur, it's just that there were no signs of forced entry, and these reports, you make them quite often. Perhaps you are just paranoid. Elections can make a candidate overreact."

"You bloody idiot! I'll have you replaced. You'll lose your esteemed job!"

"Nonsense! You have no power here anymore. Go back to England, Raspodin. We 'ave been watching your goings on here in Paris, and the Ministry thinks it best that you leave the country. Now, I will search for this phantom wizard, but after that, you must go. We don't want your kind in our city anymore." Lucius had ducked behind a lavish set of drapes. His heart beat rapidly as the Auror searched the room. When he was satisfied that nobody was there, he turned to leave. Lucius let out a sigh. He peeked out the window and he could see Raspodin, arguing vehemently with the French Auror.

_POP_

Lucius apparrated to the French countryside. Just a few more apparritions and he would be safely back in England. He had the evidence, tying Raspodin to Ancient's Apothecary.

.

.

**11:00 AM…**

Nathaniel surveyed the Squib Shop. He had entered under the disguise of a certain French poet and had ordered a squib. He didn't make any bones about it. He told the gruff and burly man behind the counter, that he wanted a teen squib girl and that he intended to chain her to his bed post and rape her repeatedly. The manager pulled him aside and chastised him for speaking so publicly about such things. He warned him, that such actions have been publicly condemned, but that privately, he could help him. Nathaniel was taken to the back room, where two squibs sat tied on the floor, their bodies draped in lingerie, that left very little to the imagination. The manager asked him to choose a girl. Nathaniel made his choice and then the manager left to gather the proper documents. Nathaniel was shocked at how quick and easy the process was. As soon as the manger was out of the room, Nathaniel spoke.

"Are you the only ones in the building?" The girls looked frightened, but the one he chose as his slave, nodded.

"Good then. I'm freeing you. We must hurry!" Nathaniel led them out the backdoor and stashed the girls behind a large dumpster, before turning back to the Squib Shop on Knockturn Alley. Nathaniel turned his wand on the building, just as the manager ran out the door of the Squib Shop, hollering at the top of his lungs. A bolt of orange hot light shot out from Nathaniel's wand, just barely missing the manager. The white light, hit the building and spread out, climbing the brick walls of the shop, until the entire shop was bathed in orange light. Nathaniel covered his ears and the mangers eyes went wide when he realized what was about to happen.

_BOOM_

The entire shop imploded. Nathaniel brushed his hands off and smiled, gazing up at his work. The shop was entirely gone, only grey and white smoke lingered, in the place the shop used to be. The manager was lying on the ground gasping for air. Nathaniel gracefully stepped over him and made his way back to the dumpster where the frightened girls were crouched. He flicked his wand again and the skimpy clothes they were wearing turned into gorgeous frocks.

"Go. You're free. I'd like to stay and chat but I have more work to do." The girls ran away from Nathaniel without hesitancy.

.

.

**12:30 PM…**

"M'am if I could just talk to you! I'm your neighbor and I just wanted to know if you'd seen any…ummm…The Loch Ness monster?" Harry said, feeling stupid. He reminded himself that he was talking to a witch, not a muggle and that nobody would think he was crazy.

"You affiliated with that squib hating Ministry official? "Cause if you are, I'll tell you the same thing I told him. Come on my property again and you're risking your head!" The old woman snapped.

"So this Ministry man, he was skulking about on your property?"

"He was," the woman eyed Harry Potter, noticing the lightning bolt scar on his head.

"Harry Potter?" Harry nodded. "Why didn't you say so? You went to school with my son! He fought with you in the war against You Know Who. I'm Seamus Finnegan's Mum." Harry remembered a few things about his Mum, particularly, that for a time in his fifth year, she thought Harry was a liar.

"Good to see you Mrs. Finnegan. Can you possibly point me in the direction that this man was mulling about on your property?" Harry asked.

"It was a year or so ago now, but he was down by the loch, where the water becomes black and the shadows lurk. I don't go down that way. It's creepy." Harry thanked the woman and then proceeded towards the water. He saw the area she was talking about. The trees loomed, and Harry felt cold spots throughout the woods as he trudged though the vines and prickly bushes, towards the waters edge. When he reached the loch, he stared into the black waters and shivered. There on the muddy banks of the loch was the carcass of a great beast. Most of the flesh was either eaten away by animals or decomposed. Flies buzzed around the carcass and Harry covered his nose. He pulled out his muggle camera and took a picture of the great sea monster and then cut a slice of the rotting flesh with his wand and conjured a baggie to store it in, in hopes that maybe Luke could use it to discover an antidote for the squibs.

"Hermione, I hope you appreciate this, because I am going to be sick," Harry said before vomiting. As he leaned over, and spewed his lunch, he saw something move in the waters below. A small ripple at first and then the ripple grew bigger and spread out in concentric circles across the entire south end of the lake. He quickly ran, not wanting to know what kind of an enormous beast must have caused those ripples.

.

.

**1:25 PM…..**

"Were you in the yellow room?" Narcissa asked Hermione as she sipped her tea. Hermione's jaw dropped.

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Lucius spent some time in Azkaban too, as you remember. You aren't the only Malfoy woman has had to plead her case to the Ministry. I too, was allowed visitation. "Springs still bad on the shabby little cot?" Now Hermione spit her tea allover her business robes. She had an appointment at the Ministry this afternoon."So, did you perform your wifely duties for my son?"

"Cissy, I'd rather not discuss my lovelife, with my mother in-law."

"It's a legitimate question. The things I did for Lucius, are what got him through his sentence."

"Yes, okay. I performed, Draco performed, it was mind blowing. Satisfied?" Hermione said and Narcissa smiled.

"Thank you."

"You're thanking me for screwing Draco?"

"Yes, I guess I am. It's hard for a mother to think of her son in that wretched place. To know that he received the highest form of pleasure, gives me comfort." Hermione leaned down and hugged Narcissa.

"I know how you feel. I hated leaving him last night. By the way, have you seen Nathaniel?"

"Mmhmm," Narcissa sipped her tea down. "He left quite early this morning. A blessing that boy has been."

"He's hardly a boy Narcissa, but I agree. On that note, I shall leave. I have an appointment I mustn't be late for. See you back here in a couple hours to get ready for the benefit? I can't bear to go alone, and had hoped you would join me."

"Of course dear. Wish I'd hear from Lucius soon. I'm not used to being away from him for so long."

.

.

**2:16 PM…**

_BOOM._

Nathaniel slipped his wand back into his pocket as a crowd began to gather. Aurors popped in this time, and Nathaniel apparrated away just in time.

.

.

**2:33 PM**

"Have you seen the paper today?" One Auror said to the other.

"Yeah, pretty impressive shot that reporter took. Malfoy's sure to get the quidditch fans on his side with that maneuver. Check it out." He tossed the open page to the other Auror and he stared. Someone at The Gauntlet had managed to get the shot of Draco flying upside down, his body fully extended along the broom and _The Daily Prophet _ran the story about just what The Gauntlet was, who had won and who was rumored to have been there. It was all out, and when people found out about he noble cause and the lengths Draco and others had gone to get squibs out of the country, the auror's office became mighty unpopular. Owls kept coming, and public opinion was at an all time low. They were feeling pressure from all sides to release Draco, and to stop persecuting those that harbor squibs.

"What are you two doing hanging around the water cooler, gossiping like a couple of school girls! Have you seen the mob outside the Ministry. The crowd of witches and wizards out there are launching rotten fruit at Ministry employees as they enter the building. They have signs, two stories high, saying free the squibs, free Malfoy. Get out there!" As the two aurors exited the office, they could hear their boss screaming at the top of his lungs about another Squib Shop being blown up. It was mass chaos at the Ministry.

.

Hermione made her way from the floo network, towards the Wizengamot chambers. She had requested a meeting with the Chairman and was hurriedly trying to make her way through the rowdy crowd. She turned and thanked all of Draco's supporters and they erupted with applause and allowed her safe passage through.

"Call the benefit off!" Hermione found herself face to face with an angry Raspodin.

"Get out of my way!" Hermione tried to shove by him. When he wouldn't move, she pulled her wand on him.

"I said call it off, or you will regret it."

"I won't and even if I could, I wouldn't. You don't scare me!" Hermione stood her ground.

"I wonder if Draco would say the same…" Raspodin said, as he left Hermione standing stock still, worry written allover her face. She literally ran down the halls of the Ministry, intent on telling the Chairman about Raspodin's threats and presenting the evidence Luke had found.

.

.

**3:02 PM…**

"Why are you helping me? You have nothing to gain by your kindness."

"Because you are Malfoy…Protector of squibs. Yes?"

"I don't deserve that name. I've hardly done anything at all and now that I'm in here…well…I'm not much help to anyone," Draco said, leaning his back against the cold, hard rock of their cell. "Thank you anyway, Roman. If I can ever repay the favor for all you have done for me in here."

"But you did! I have not eaten so well in a year!" Draco had sneaked some food back to his cellmates. One man tried to take it all and Draco, with his strength restored after spending a few hours with Hermione, eating and making love, slammed the man against the bars of the cell and fought him off the other cellmates, when he took one of the weaker prisoners food. Roman had handed him the jagged rock that he had formed into a shank, but Draco cast it away. He didn't know how long he could fend the guy off though, before he was forced to take matters into his own hands and become a murderer himself. Roman, had told Draco that the man's name was Goron and that he was thrown in the cell shortly before Draco was. Apparently, he had attacked a couple of aurors on the coast and was taken straight to Azkaban. Draco was well aware of who Goron was and as he stared down at his elephant skin boots, he decided that he would kill him if it came to it.

He played with the chain around his neck, careful not to touch the dragon charm on the end of it. He didn't want to alarm Hermione and he knew if he decided to use it to escape into her world, she would imagine the worst,so as eager as he was to see his wife, he resisted the urge to rub it.

Suddenly, Goron roused and made his way to the bars. He began to scream out as he banged his head against the bars crying to be let out.

"Shut your mouth! You will call the dementors to us!" Roman shouted, but the man ignored him.

"You know, I am the reason for the squibs. It's all my fault that so many children are being born." Draco craned his neck to face the dirty and bearded man.

"What? You're not thinking straight my friend. It's not your fault, trust me."

"But it is…I am the grandson of Rasputin. I …see things. I told the man you know as Raspodin that a child's magic, would be his undoing. That is why he is turning the babies into squibs. He fears my prophecy."

"You're the grandson of Rasputin? You are the second person who has told me that this month."

"Raspodin is just a wizard. When I looked inside him, I saw terrible things. I healed his impotence, but I could not heal his mind. I saw his childhood Terrible things were done to him. He is afraid of his sexuality…and he is afraid of being poor again. This is why he seeks power." Roman paused and then said with conviction, "I will kill him for what he has done to the children, and I will feel no malice. For evil like that, must be destroyed."

"Your name really isn't Roman is it?" Draco asked.

"Wise for such a young man. No, I am not. For history's sake though, it is better that I remain dead in the river, like it is believed. Shut up!" Roman yelled at Goron, who continued banging on the bars and screaming out. Draco could see the distress he was causing the other prisoners, so he bounded to his feet and grabbed Goron about the shoulder, spinning him around to face him. With wicked eyes, he plunged the shank into Draco's stomach. Draco's eyes went wide as he stumbled backwards, his hands wrapping themselves around the sharp shank that pierced his torso, driving deep inside his body. He fell backwards and collapsed on the dirty ground of the cell. His face grew pale as Roman hovered over his weakened body, his blood spilling out of him and pooling at his sides.

.

Review!?

So, I had to break this chapter up into two chapters because it ran so long. I have the next chapter written, but I still need to revise it. Hopefully I will get it up later today or tonight, perhaps. One more chapter and a Epilogue. Scorpius's big concert is coming up in next chapter. There was just too much to tie up, that I couldn't do it in one chapter like I had hoped, and I don't want to rush the story. Let me know! Sorry for leaving on a cliffy. Shouldn't be a long wait though. I LOVE the reviews everyone is giving me on this story and other stories of mine as well! I can't answer some of the questions presented because it will ruin the story. I can say though, that Jillian will be nothing like Isis from Dark Fire lol The only thing that is for sure is that Draco, will treat Jillian much the same as he did Isis…Daddy's little Princess.


	20. The Flame

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 20

.

**3:33 PM…**

"This is a start. We can pull these products from the shelves immediately and issue an emergency recall, but Jean Paul is the only official name on the business license for Ancient's Apothecary. A board of directors has taken over the company, but they are protected by Law 3346 on the books, stating that a witch or wizard, can not be tried for crimes committed by previous owners, should something of a sinister nature come to light."

"It's Raspodin! He's the silent partner, I just know it. Draco thought so." Hermione challenged the chairman to see her way of thinking.

"Then bring me the evidence and I will lock him up and throw away the key."

The chairman thanked Hermione and wished her luck with her investigation. As she left the chambers, she suddenly felt Draco behind her eyes. She could feel him, and she could even hear him breathing. He was gasping though. Something was wrong. She dropped to her knees and began to cry. Several wizards stopped to help her, but she just collapsed to all fours and sobbed. Something terrible had happened to Draco and there was nothing she could do. She had to get to Azkaban.

.

.

Nathaniel passed by Raspodin's campaign office. He had taken to following the wizard at every chance. He knew that if something happened to Draco he would see it on Raspodin's face first. For the dementors wrath, would be felt by the wicked man, as a part of the spell he cast over the dragon charm. When Raspodin fell to the ground and began seizing, Nathaniel knew he had to get to Hermione and to Draco. He ran through the halls towards a crowd and there on the ground was Hermione, sobbing, too petrified to move.

"Hermione! Come on, we have to get to Draco."

.

.

**4:06 PM…**

"Hold very still," Roman said to Draco, but Draco seemed out of it. It was almost as if he wasn't in his body at all. The dementors had swooped on their cell and his cellmates were screaming out in pain and misery. Goron himself was crying as he lay in the fetal position. Roman watched as one of the dementors enveloped Goron's body. There were a high pitched scream, and then Goron fell silent. When it was all over with, the wizard that was Goron, ceased to exist as he did before. He lay quiet and still, a mere shell of his former self.

Roman set to work on Draco. He pulled the shank from his belly and blood began to pour out of Draco's wound. Roman lay his healing hands upon Draco and his eyes began to glow gold.

"You just stay wherever you are. I will mend you. This is going to hurt a lot. Just hold on," Roman whispered to Draco amidst the torturous screams from the inmates inside Azkaban. When riots started, or an unruly prisoner got out of the hand the guards released the dementors into the cells as payback. They didn't effect Roman like they did the others, but it was frightening nonetheless, listening to the screams of some of the toughest wizxards ever to walk the Earth. He continued to lay his healing hands over Draco, even when Hermione and Nathaniel forced their way to Draco's cell. Hermione rattled the bars and called out to Draco. Nathaniel tried to stop her but she was wild and frantic as she watched Draco slipping away. When Roman was finished, he turned to Hermione and Nathaniel.

"He's fine now. Ye shant be fearful. He's just sleeping now." His fingers were still clasped around the charm and she could still feel him behind her eyes. A peaceful serenity washed over her and she just knew she could trust the wizard before her.

"I think we can trust him. I don't know why but I just feel like I should," Nathaniel said to Hermione.

"Me too. Draco, baby , Scorpius is having a concert tonight to free you. I have to be there, otherwise I'd stay. You know that right?" Draco made no response. Hermione didn't know what kind of healing magic this man possessed but it was strong, whatever it was. He peeled the blood soaked shirt away, to show Hermione where the wound had been. Satisfied when she saw only perfect, pale skin, she left with Nathaniel.

"I don't want to leave him."

"I know…I wish my father would hurry back. He holds the key to everything."

.

.

**6:10 PM….**

Persephone rifled through box after box, handing out all of the shirts they had made and still more people flocked to the grounds of DPU. The shirts were silver and green, Slytherin colors of course, and Scorpius's idea. On the front, it said 'SAVE THE SQUIBS' in silver letters and on the back it said 'FREE DRACO', with a picture of a Dragon behind bars. The dragon would move behind the bars, breathing fire. Everybody seemed to love the shirts.

She was hot and sweaty and she still needed to change clothes before the benefit. Scorpius had helped her pass out shirts, that is, until he was mobbed by a pack of Ravenclaws, along with a few college girls. He said he was going backstage to practice. She wandered through the sea of people to the stage and pushed through the line of girls standing at the backstage door. Her gown was in Scorpius's dressing room and she needed to get back there, but she couldn't push her way to the front. As soon as she would try, she would find herself on her arse, on the ground, with a snarling girl telling her to get in line and wait her turn. She had no other choice but to wait for her husband.

"Supposedly he's married," the homely girl behind Persephone said. The girl in front of Persephone turned around and curled a lip.

"Where you'd hear that?"

"I read it in _Quidditch Today._ They did a feature on Scorpius Malfoy last year when he played for Puddlemere United," the mousy girl said.

"That's so not true. It's just a rumor he created to keep the girls at bay. Like, I intend to be his wife anyway," the girl in front of her said. Persephone laughed. "You think it's funny? He doesn't like girls like you! I don't even know why you're in line!"

"Nor do I honestly," Persephone said with a smirk.

"He likes blonde hair and green eyes and big boobs. That's me!" The girl said jutting her chest out and pointing to her enormous chest.

"Where do you get your information?" Persephone asked the snotty girl.

"Look at the rest of us in line…Do you see any two girls that look as pathetic as the two of you? I mean, you're nothing to special. Bollocks, you're an embarrassment to the rest of us! And you! You look like a boy! Are those muscles? Go find some nice boy to play with and leave a real man like Scorpius Malfoy, to us." The girl flipped her hair and it hit Persephone in the face. She turned around to see the girl behind her crying.

"Don't listen to her. You don't look like a boy. Do you play quidditch?" Persephone asked the girl.

"Yeah, I'm a Seeker. Dad couldn't get us tickets, the last time Scorpius played in town, so I came here to see if he would autograph my Firebolt. I got one just like his. He's my favorite player. How did you know I played quidditch though? You haven't seen the Wiltshire White Elephants play, have you?"

Persephone laughed.

"No. I just know a few quidditch players, and I recognized the muscles that go along with playing the sport." Persephone said and the girl frowned and looked down at her tight hard body in shame.

"I do look like a boy. I can crack a walnut with my knees, you know," she gave a lopsided smile, but the tears still streamed down her face.

"That's pretty impressive in itself! Look, there is nothing wrong with being a jock."

"I don't look like any of these girls. You're beautiful and I look like a boy."

"Fourth year?" Persephone asked.

"Yeah, Gryffindor."

"You know…Scorpius has a friend named Jessica Starlett and she's a chaser for Puddlemere. She is funny and smart and athletic. The way she can take that quaffle down the field and score. She's threatening! She married Puddlemere's Keeper. I've seen her in a dress and she is quite striking. Her body is toned, yet feminine. That's going to happen to you too when you get a little older, and you will be fighting all the boys off.

"Stop lying to her!" The girl in front of her said. "She's a toad!" Persephone took her wand out and was about to hit her with a nasty hex, when the door to the backstage swung open. Suddenly, shrieks sounded and a shirtless Scorpius stood in the doorway, talking to the bouncer security guard that was minding the line. He looked out over the sea of buxom blondes, and then he caught site of Persephone.

"Babe? You have to get dressed. I've been waiting for you. Why in the hell are you standing out here?" Scorpius swaggered down the steps of the stage and made his way through the crowd of screaming girls, who all pawed at his bare chest, while he shrugged them off. He stopped in front of Persephone and took her by the hand.

"Pick me, pick me!" The girl in front of Persephone called out.

"Thanks for coming to the show, but this is my wife, now make way please." Scorpius wrapped his arm around Persephone's waist and led her through the crowd.

"Wait, Scorps!" Persephone turned around and grabbed the quidditch players hand and led her with them.

"You're really his wife?"

"Yeah. And I also feel a bit plain sometimes, what with all of them around throwing themselves at him."

"I'm sorry," the girl said blushing and putting her head down. Persephone could tell that she also had a crush on her husband. But this one was different. This one was respectful of the fact that he was married and Persephone didn't seem to mind her.

"It's okay. I had a crush on Eminem for a while there," she laughed and then introduced Scorpius to the aspiring quidditch player. He sat with the girl and talked and then signed her broom. Persephone could see something come over Scorpius when he talked about quidditch. His eyes lit up and she suddenly realized, that Scorpius was more in his element when playing quidditch. That he didn't have it all figured out either. That all the girls made him nervous too. She wasn't the only one who had insecurities. He looked so natural sitting with the girl, talking about quidditch, but when he was around all the crazed fans, he was ridged and uncomfortable, even though he put on a smirk and pretended he enjoyed it. He really was a one woman man. Her man. She leaned down and laid a wet kiss on his lips and Scorpius pulled her down on his knee.

"Go get that dress on. I want to see you in it. I'm going to call you on stage tonight. So be prepared," he said burying his head in her neck and kissing her tenderly. "Everybody's going to know tonight, who Sapphire is."

.

.

**7:11 PM…**

"Who's your dad flirting up?" Luke said to Drew as they stood talking on the lawn of DPU, waiting for the show to begin.

"That's my aunt Padma. She and Dad dated briefly back in school," Drew said.

"They look smitten."

"Yeah. I think they are. How weird will that be to call Auntie Padma mother," Drew laughed.

"Drew…Are you happy with Damien? Are you really, really happy?"

"I am." A peaceful smile came over Drew's face. Damien and Lily decided to play a few pranks on the college girls who were swarming the backstage area. They returned in near hysterics.

"Did you use the spell I told you about?" Drew asked Lily.

"Yeah, Uncle Ron really did that?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, supposedly he did it to Luke's Dad, back in their second year, but he spell backfired because his wand was broken. Did it work for you?"

"Oh yeah! I got one girl square in the chest and she is coughing out slugs now!"

"My Dad said that Draco Malfoy and his pals got a good laugh out of that spell."

Luke laughed at hearing that. "That's Dad for ya." It was just then, he realized how much he missed his father. He was dying to talk to Draco about the potion breakthrough he had discovered. Nobody else could really understand him, when he talked about potions…nobody, but Draco, that is. His mother was mart and could understand the bigger picture, but potions weren't her specialized area of expertise and he longed for the fatherly companionship that Draco always gave him. They had worked for weeks on end together without ever arguing, when they had started the potion store together. Draco treated him as an equal in the lab, and Luke sorely missed him.

"Luke, I owe you an apology," Damien said, pulling him aside. "For New Year's Eve. I had no right to walk in on your date with Drew. I can't say I'm sorry I did though, because I got a son out of it and like a billion galleons because of the actions of that night. But, the way it went down. I am sorry little Malfoy."

"It's okay. It all worked out in the end, and I couldn't be happier for you," Luke said smiling at Lily and reaching a hand out to her. He pulled her into his chest and kissed her longingly.

"Two second snog, no longer," came a voice behind Luke.

"Hey Dad!" Lily said smiling up into Harry Potter's spectacles.

"Classic!" Damien said laughing at the petrified look on Luke's face. It wasn't everyday you get caught snogging one of the most famous wizards's in history's only daughter.

.

.

**7:30 PM…**

The Weird Sisters took the stage and the benefit was in full swing. A mosh pit had formed at the front of the stage and kids were slamming into each other, dancing and singing and just horsing around with their friends. Many of the adult witches and wizards slow danced together by The Black Lake and reminisced over memories of their time at the school. Some hadn't been back to these grounds since the war, and it was a bittersweet reunion of sorts.

Scorpius was warming up, when there was a knock at his dressing room door. He set his guitar down and went to answer it.

"What do you want!" Scorpius screamed as the wizard forced himself into the room, slamming the door behind him.

"Call this bloody concert off!"

"Are you fucking insane? Have you see the record crowds out there? I want my Dad out of Azkaban! We both know he doesn't belong there." Scorpius pushed back against the wizard.

"Then if you won't call it off…Endorse me as next Minister. I'll set you up with the cushy position of head of the Quidditch Leagues. Surely you want to follow your Dad into politics?"

"Okay, get your bribing arse out of my dressing room. I have to take stage in ten minutes and I don't have time for this fucking bullshit."

"Just listen to me…" Raspodin said in a calm voice.

"No! You just listen to me. You are a worthless, lying, racist, piece of shite! There is nothing you can promise me, that will make me stop loving my Father. Do you get that? Now get out, before I call the aurors to take you away!" Raspodin opened his mouth to speak again and Scorpius threw his hands in the air, as he left the dressing room to get one of the aurors. When he arrived back in the room with the auror, Raspodin was gone.

.

.

Scorpius waited backstage, nervously, with his guitar strung over his back. Persephone came out to wish him luck. When Scorpius saw her, he nearly fainted, she looked so beautiful in a strapless black dress and her hair pinned up with loose curls cascading down the creamy skin of her neck.

"Goodluck, baby. You don't need it though. You're a brilliant singer and songwriter. I…love you and I'm so proud." Scorpius slid his arm around her waist as the announcer introduced him. He pressed his lips against hers and drank in her warm kisses.

"I love you too Sapphire. You look gorgeous. You and me, in my dressing room after the show!" He gave her another light peck on the cheek and walked briskly, with his band members, onto the stage. He started with a screeching guitar riff and then the bass and drums followed. A wicked light show of green and silver light and explosions of fire, above the stage, kicked the concert into high gear as the crowd went wild. Persephone stood, mesmerized, watching her husband perform for the multitudes. Screaming girls, lined the stage. The louder they became the louder he played in order to drown them out. At one point a pair of knickers was thrown on stage, landing on Scorpius's shoulder as he continued to play.

"Can you believe some witches!" Persephone shouted from the side backstage area.

"You just have to know how to deal with them, that's all." Hermione waved her wand and all of the big mouth bimbos in the front row were silenced. Now, they could actually hear the music.

"Is that how you handle the women? I mean surely you know what I'm going through too, being married to Mr. Malfoy. He's not exactly low profile and he is so HOT," Persephone said to Hermione before covering her mouth. Hermione gave her a strangled look but hen her face softened.

"You're a bright witch. I'm sure you can come with discreet ways of handling the flock of birds. Wedgies, a sudden broken stiletto heel, all seem to get the job done. Of course, since she threw her panties at my son, a wedgie would not quite work, would it?" Persephone grinned wickedly. It was as if a light bulb went off in her head. She was shocked, to find out that Mrs. Malfoy used revenge spells, on the hoards of women that surrounded Draco on a daily basis.

Just then, the knickerless witch, tried to get on stae. She managed to elude the security and when she made it all the way to Scorpius, who was playing guitar and singing and hadn't noticed her, Persephone drew her wand. The girl was thrown off the stae with a stunning spell and suddenly her sprawled out body was being passed back over the hands of the crowd. Persephone smiled at a job well done.

"It gets better. As you grow together, you'll become more confidant. I rarely have to resort to such drastic measures anymore," Hermione said, placing a comforting hand on Persephone's shoulder. She left a smiling Persephone on the stage, watching Scorpius was such love in her eyes that Hermione almost teared up. After all, isn't it every mother's wish that her child grows up and marries someone that is truly worthy?

.

.

"Lucius, where is your Mother?" Luke turned to see his Grandfather Lucius, standing next to him with an urgent expression, as the music blared on.

"Grandfather! Did you hear the news? The potions were tainted! The squibs were poisoned."

"Yes, yes my boy, very good. I have the key piece of information your mother needs." Luke pointed Lucius to where Hermione was standing with Narcissa and the Potter's. He watched as Lucius kissed his grandmother and then eagerly pulled Hermione aside. A few moments later Hermione threw her arms around Lucius's neck and hugged him, tears streaming down her face…and then they were both gone. Lucius apparrated out while Hermione went tearing through the crowds, banging into people as she disappeared into the sea of concert goers.

.

.

**8:45 PM…**

"Sir, would your daughter like to go backstage and meet Scorpius after the show?" Hermione cozied up to the chairman, who was there with his wife and teenage daughter.

"Daddy, can I!?"

"Of course Priscilla, as long as your mother accompanies you." The chairman of the Wizengamot glared at Hermione. "Let me guess…You have the information tying Raspodin to Ancient's Apothecary?" Hermione nearly jumped up and down waving the paper in her hands.

"Yes, sir! He was the silent partner of Jean Paul LaRoche. Furthermore, Lucius has a penseive with the memories of Raspodin himself, proving that he committed the murder in Paris of Jean Paul. This clears my sister in law Luna as well." Hermione was beaming from ear to ear.

"There is still the matter of your husband attacking aurors, even if I do let the harboring squib charges go." Hermione's face dropped.

"No, there isn't sir. Because I was the one who did that," Harry said standing behind Hermione.

"Harry…" Hermione shot Harry an urgent look. She wanted Draco out, but not at the expense of Harry Potter.

"It's okay Hermione. He won't press the matter. I'm an auror. The Ministry won't want a scandal. They'll just sack me and give me a slap on the wrist."

"Yes, I think for now, this matter should be kept quiet. Since nobody died I am going to ask that you meet me in my office first thing tomorrow morning Mr. Potter."

"So does that mean you will release Draco?"

"I'll owl right now. You shouldn't be traveling at this late hour though," the chairman said out of concern for Hermione.

"I won't have to. Lucius already went to collect him," Hermione said cringing.

"So sure of yourself aren't you Mrs. Malfoy?"

"Not really, I just love my husband and would stop at nothing to get him out, Sir. Thank you Sir." Hermione turned around and lunged at Harry Potter wrapping her arms around his neck in a death grip. He hugged her and told her how happy he was for her and Draco and their family. Hermione, was so happy she started dancing to Scorpius's song. It was a razor sharp fast song, with a lot of heavy guitar and Scorpius on vocals. She was feeling joyous, as she watched her son on stage, holding his wand to the sky. He shot red and silver snakes into the sky at the end of the song. The crowd's hands went into the air with ear deafening, thunderous applause.

.

.

**9:30 PM…**

"Father!" Draco ran to the bars of his cell.

"Draco…Ready to go, son? Young Scorpius is hogging all the limelight," Lucius smiled as the prison guard opened the cell door. Draco choked up as he stepped forward to freedom.

"Roman? I'll get you out of here, I promise you that and thank you. Thank you for saving my life. I don't know how you did that without a wand, but I can never repay you."

"Clear my name. Just clear my name…" Roman said as the cell door closed again leaving the strange bearded wizard behind.

"Malfoy…There is plenty of room in this cell for that torturer? Yes? We have much to talk about," Roman said and Draco smirked.

"You bet." Draco looked at his shirt. It was covered in his own blood and he tore it off.

"You don't have any Armani or Versace shirts, do you?" Draco asked Lucius.

"No, son. Shopping for your designer shirts was not the first thing on mind, whilst on my journey. Besides, where we are going nobody will care that you are shirtless," Lucius said smirking widely. His smirk turned into a grin and Draco raised an eyebrow at his father.

"I can't wait to see Hermione and Scorpius and Luke and Jillian. Oh, how I miss holding my daughter in my arms. Thank you father! Thank you for everything."

"Don't be silly Draco. I'll not let my son rot in that stinkhole. I remember how unpleasant it was and just being in there again, brought back too many memories. All your family and friends have been working to get you out."

"I know, I know. I owe them all BIG. I truly am blessed with the family I have."

.

.

**10:00 PM…**

"I'd like to dedicate this song to the lady of my heart. It's a little song I wrote when I was recovering from an injury recently. I think, you'll recognize it. Sapphire? Come on babe." Scorpius motioned for Sapphire to join him on stage and with a deep blush she timidly made her way out on stage. Her knees were shaking, her hands trembling as she sat down on a stool next Scorpius and turned towards him. "This is my wife everyone! Persephone Black-Malfoy. You all don't mind if I sing to her do you? "Most of the crowd cheered, while some of the girls in the front, had annoyed looks on their makeup-caked faces. Scorpius strummed on the acoustic guitar and the spotlight fell on him and his wife. As Persephone watched her man sing to her she felt more alive and in love, then she ever had before. In that moment, she couldn't see or hear the screaming crowds, all she could see was her beautiful blond husband, who sang so sweetly about her and the love he held in his heart for her. She couldn't imagine loving another human being more then she did at that moment. When the song was over, he stood and kissed her with all the passion that Scorpius was inside. She ran her fingers through his hair and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and then, with a deep breath, turned to see the crowds clapping wildly. They left the stage and all Scorpius could think about was getting Persephone back to his dressing room for a quick snog and grope, before he came back out for his encore song, the last song of the night. He was passing by the sound guys and the aurors, who were protecting the younger Malfoy, when someone tapped him on the shoulder. Scorpius had his arm around Persephone and he swung both of them around to see a shirtless Draco standing casually against the wall, clapping, with a proud smile on his face.

"That was bloody awesome, Scorpius."

"Dad!" Scorpius hugged his father tightly and Draco kissed him on the forehead. "You're out!"

"I am. I wanted to come back here and tell you that I'm sorry for everything you and the rest of the family, have been put though, and for missing your show. My biggest thanks though, goes to you, for what you've done here, bringing awareness to the squibs and also…"

"It's okay, Dad, I know what you mean. You don't have to say it. Mum and Luke are going to be so excited to see you! They both worked so hard for your release."

"I know and I'll go find them, but I just wanted to tell you how proud I am. Persephone, you look all grown up," Draco shot her am approving glance, and Persephone blushed.

"Thank you Mr. Malfoy..Thank you for everything! I never properly thanked you for saving my life and getting us out of that dungeon. It seems you went from one jail to another and it isn't fair how they've treated you. You're such a great husband and father and I see so much of you in Scorpius, and I'm thankful." Persephone looked into Scor-ius's eyes and kissed him tenderly.

"I'll see you after the show? I can't wait to see your encore. Crowd is going crazy for more," Draco said.

"Just wait here a second, Dad. I gotta go back on, but I need to grab something from my dressing room right quick."

Scorpius swallowed the last of the potion Luke gave him. No sooner though had he tilted it back and gulped it down, did he notice that it tasted different. Luke always made potions that tasted mintie or fruity—good in other words, but this potion was sour and it—BURNED. It didn't take long for him to realize what had happened. When he had gone to fetch the auror, in order to rid Raspodin from his dressing room Raspodin, must have switched his potion. Scorpius gagged and fell to his knees, choking on the potion.

"Scorpius! Mr. Malfoy come quick, something's wrong with Scorpius!" Persephone rolled her husband over and assessed her husband's condition.

"Scorpius, is your throat burning?" He nodded clutching his throat.

"Fire tonic potion. I read about it. It's a medium level dark potion, that won't cause any lasting harm but is mighty unpleasant. Someone must have slipped it into his dressing room. Scorpius has been clean for a good while now." Persephone said to Draco who was leaning over his son, overcome with worry. Persephone lifted her wand and pointed it at Scorpius's face. His eyes grew wide and he went cross eyed for a moment, staring at he tip of Persephone's wand.

"Winter wind, renervate!" Scorpius stopped choking and sat up. His throat was now cool, the burning all but gone.

"Scorps, the crowd is getting restless! We gotta go man!" One of his band members said, running into his dressing room. He waved the band member off and stood up. He opened his mouth to sing, but nothing came out.

"Shit! I forgot that the spell takes a full hour to work and that you can't talk for an hour. You'll be fine in an hour though, with no lasting symptoms. I'm so sorry baby. What are you going to do?" Scorpius started throwing things around in his dressing room as if looking for something. He found a piece of paper and a quill and began to scribble words on the back of a piece of parchment. He handed it to Draco with urgency. Draco read it.

"Me? I can't do that Scorpius. I don't sing." Scorpius ripped the paper form his hands and scrawled on the parchment again.

"You remember that? Scorpius you were just a baby…and that was so long ago that I used to sing to you before bed. You're the musician Scorpius and this is _your _song. I'll go talk to the crowds. It should be enough of a finale, seeing me out of jail, though they are surely being robbed. You're really good son, but I can't sing your song." Scorpius put his hands out to Draco, as if pleading. Draco turned the parchment over and read the song. A tear came to his eye as he read the words his son wrote for he and Hermione. It was almost as if Scorpius had tapped into Draco's mind, when he wrote the song, because the words were so raw and mimicked how he had been feeling while in Azkaban. He nodded to Scorpius and the two blond Malfoy's made for the stage.

.

**10:30 PM…**

Scorpius took the stage with his guitar in hand. He waved to the crowd and then turned to look at Draco standing in the shadows. Draco slowly made his way out onto the stage. And reached for the microphone.

"Is everybody having a good time?" Draco addressed the crowds. A hush came over the crowd as everybody stared on in shock. "I know I am, because I'm out of Azkaban, thanks to all of you!" The crowd erupted in applause when he spoke. He briefly spoke about his platform, of ridding the wizarding world of the squib slavery laws. Some were crying in the crowd, others were cheering and chanting.

.

"Harry, that's Draco! He's on stage! Oh, I gotta get up there, so I can hear what he's saying! I'm coming Dragon!" Hermione began pushing her way through the crowds as Draco spoke on the microphone.

"So, my son intended to sing you this song, but when he lost his voice because of the actions of a cowardly man, he asked me to sing the song instead. Does anybody actually _want _to hear me sing it?" The crowd clapped and cheered and encouraged, and Draco shook his head in disbelief. "Okay, you asked for it. Please don't throw anything at me though," Draco chuckled and the lights went down. He felt the spotlight hit him. _What in the hell am I doing_, he thought to himself. He sat down at he edge of the stage, his legs hanging over the platform the stage was built on. Scorpius was at his right, playing on the guitar and Draco sang, for the first time in his life, in public.

.

(Cheap Trick-The Flame, if you want to listen to it for the full effect)

.

_Another night slowly closes in,  
And I feel so… lonely.  
Touching heat freezing on my skin,  
I pretend you still… hold me.  
I'm going crazy, I'm losing sleep.  
I'm in too far, I'm in way too deep over you.  
I cant believe you're gone.  
You were the first, you'll be the last.  
_The crowd slowly came forward and pat Draco on the back, welcoming their Minister of Magic back._  
Wherever you go, Ill be with you.  
Whatever you want, Ill give it to you.  
Whenever you need someone to lay your heart and head upon.  
Remember, after the fire, after all the rain,  
I will be the flame.  
I will be the flame._

.

_Watching shadows move across the wall,  
I feel so frightened.  
I wanna run to you, I wanna call,  
But I've been hit by lightening.  
Just cant stand up for falling apart.  
Cant see through this veil across my heart, over you.  
You'll always be the one.  
You were the first, you'll be the last._

._  
_Hermione pushed through the crowd to see a witch standing in front of Draco staring at him with lust in her eyes. Draco looked up to see Hermione standing behind here. He jumped down on the stage and pushed past the witch, taking Hermione by the hand as he gazed into her eyes. Hermione could taste her own salty tears on her lips and it was then that she became aware that she was crying tears of joy.

._  
Wherever you go, Ill be with you.  
Whatever you want, Ill give it to you.  
Whenever you need someone to lay your heart and head upon.  
Remember, after the fire, after all the rain,  
I will be the flame.  
I will be the flame._

.

She always knew that Scorpius got his voice from Draco, all those years listening to Draco sing in the shower, where he didn't think anyone was listening. But now, everyone was hearing the voice of an angel, her angel. He was quite good, he and Scorpius's voices nearly dead on exact, though Draco's voice was slightly deeper and had the maturity of experience behind it. He put so much love in the song and Hermione was a sobbing mess, by the time he finished the song.

He took her around the waist as the song finished and pulled her roughly against him, wrapping both arms around her torso. Leaning down to whisper in her ear, Hermione shivered at hearing his husky voice in her ear.

"I love you. Now let's go home and make up for lost time." Hermione held his face in her hands and kissed his lips frantically and anxiously.

"I'm right behind you Dragon." Neither even heard the crowds around them clapping as they began to disperse, the show now over. Draco moved in to kiss Hermione, his lips hovering over hers. As if teasing her. Silver pools, met chocolate swirls and Draco's lips crashed down over hers, his tongue forcefully in her mouth.

Review!?

So, one more chapter and Epilogue if I decide to do a lead in to next story. I may just skip the lead in and put up Chapter 1 of the next story. Still thinking of a name for it, but I do have a fairly good idea what the last Broomsticks story will be about, and everyone's storylines. So, I still have a pretty important scene left in this story. I won't tell you what it is and ruin it though. Hehe Some loose ends to tie up and it should be exciting!


	21. The Minister of Magic

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 21

Draco propped Hermione up on the dining room table. There had been a large gathering at Serenity after the concert. All of their friends and family were there to welcome Draco home. When everybody had left for the evening, well into the wee hours of the night, Hermione and Draco had cuddled up on the sofa where they teased and tortured each other with a deeply satisfying makeout session, that involved heavy petting and nibbling on one another's necks. When neither could take any more, their desire so strong for each other, they left hand in hand for the bedroom. When both saw the long mahogany table in the dining room as they passed by it, grey eyes met brown once again and they found themselves taking a risky detour.

"Take me Draco. Gods, I want you so bad," Hermione moaned into his ear, while Draco dropped kisses on her neck, just behind her ear."

"Oh, fuck yeah. I am going to ram my cock so deep inside you Sweetpea. I can't wait to feel you." Draco kissed her hard on the mouth and then reached for his wand, that was tucked snug in his back pocket. He missed having his wand, while in Azkaban and he was just itching to use it. A wicked smirk came over his face as he broke off their kiss and held his wand on Hermione. He whispered an incantation and suddenly green silk ties appeared, and wound themselves around Hermione's wrists. Another spell from Draco, and they bound her wrists completely as she watched in curious amusement. The ties shot up and tangled themselves tightly in the sparkling crystal chandelier above Hermione's head, her arms now raised above her head, with little slack in the binds.

"Draco, if I lower my arms, or jerk on the ties, I could bring the whole chandelier down on us," Hermione said in a sultry tone, her need for him evident as she wrapped her legs around his hips and drew him closer to her.

"Then I reckon you better keep those arms held high,hmm Sweetpea?" Draco grinned and then ripped the shirt away from her body. He ran his hands up her silky thighs and then bunched her knickers in his fists at her hips. With a sudden yanking motion, he had removed her panties, her skirt up around her waist giving him full access to her hot swollen womanliness. He unbuckled his pants as Hermione watched, her arms beginning to ache from holding them stiffly above her head. He dropped his pants around his ankles, his shirt (yes he put a shirt on when he got home, much to Hermione's dismay) covering the throbbing erection that she just knew Draco had for her.

"Draco, take the shirt off. I want to feel your chest against my skin."

"In due time Malfoy, in due time. Why the rush?" Draco smirked.

"Draco Malfoy, if you don't fuck me this instant!" Hermione spat out.

"Then what? You will pull the chandelier down on our heads, killing us instantly? Which one of us just got out of Azkaban? Was it you, or was it me?" Draco said with a cheeky smile. He did as she commanded though and began to unbutton his white button up, careful not to damage the shirt. Hermione found it strangely hilarious, that he had just ruined one of her favorite blouses, yet took so much care with his own precious garments. Draco was selfish to the core, even still, and she loved him for it. He moved in between her legs and Hermione could feel his hard on pressed against her, his thick cock heavy on her leg. Her breasts were pressed firmly against his pale, lean, muscular chest and she let out a groan as Draco captured her mouth once again. His tongue moved in a clockwise direction probing deeper with each passing circle, until Hermione's head was leaning so far back, that when she opened her eyes she could see the chandelier looming above her. Her arms spasmed and she wasn't sure how long she could hold them in this position. Her worry was stamped out though, by the fire that swept over her when she felt Draco's cock at her entrance.

"You look so fucking hot in this position. I'm going to fuck you really hard. It isn't going to be gentle. You will hold those arms up high, won't you?" Draco bit into her neck at his and Hermione whimpered as chills shot down her spine.

"Yes, Dragon…Oh Yes," she moaned out.

He rammed into her only halfway at first and then pulled out. Hermione gasped and Draco ran his hands frantically down the insides of her thighs. She felt the muscles in her legs burn as her husband forced her knees apart. He spread her nether lips apart and then with his wand he flicked the lights on the chandelier to the on position. He wanted to watch his cock enter her. He could see her lovely pink lips and he lingered for a moment just admiring his beautiful Hermione and all her womanly splendor. He pushed hard at that, rolling his hips into her. He saw Hermione's back start to give out on the very first hard push of his rod into her body, so he snaked an arm around her back and with he other arm he braced himself against the table. He rammed again into her and Hermione's breath hitched in her throat. His hips gyrated now in rhythm, his dick sliding in and out of her hot wetness and both Draco and Hermione were moaning each other's names as he forced himself into her harder and harder with each thrust.

.

.

"Baby your throat still burn a little?" Persephone said to Scorpius who was spent, after a long show. He had lain on the bed in exhaustion, his arms and shoulder sore from the strain of the guitar. Sensing this, Persephone climbed on his back and sat down on his arse. She kneaded his sore muscles with a healing oil and Scorpius groaned in pleasure.

"Only if you want me to go down on you babe," Scorpius replied. Persephone snickered and jumped off Scorpius, her petite feet padding across the carpet.

"I'll be right back honey." She traipsed down the hall, tying a robe around her as she made her way down the grand staircase. She filled a glass of cold water for Scorpius, lascivious thoughts of him, playing like a swan song in her head as she spun on her heels to make the long journey back up the stairs to her bedroom. She stopped short though, when she caught sight of something she shouldn't have been witnessing, for a second time.

Hermione was tied up, her arms heavy above her head as Draco pounded into her. Persephone's hand automatically went to her crotch as she slid her hand up her own thigh and under her robe. _Misplaced appreciation, that's all it is. That and the fact that Draco and Scorpius look so much alike, are alike. Damn they are alike, only…Draco is way more experienced. Mr. Malfoy, I mean!_ Persephone reminded herself. She started to turn away, knowing she shouldn't be watching, yet she couldn't stop the sick obsession. Draco was grunting loudly and Hermione was groaning in unison. Draco turned his head to bite down on Hermione's neck, his orgasm fast approaching, when he caught sight of Persephone, fingers stroking her own clit and Draco did the only thing he could do. He closed his eyes. He couldn't care that she was looking at he and Hermione, not right now. He was so lost in the moment with his wife, and so close to his climax. Hermione was so wet and she too was about to have the Mt. St. Helen's of eruptions and Draco would not deprive her of that, nor would he deprive himself. Hermione forgot about the chandelier, the urge to throw her arms around Draco's neck so strong, in her animalistic lust for her Draco, that she did just that as her orgasm thundered through her body. Draco screamed out in her ear when he felt her gush of wetness engulf his pulsating cock. With one last thrust of his hips, he was buried deep inside her, and he ejaculated with the rising force of a rocket during lift off, his fire consuming him. Their bodies shuddered and shook and Hermione clenched her legs around his hips, never wanting to let him go. A cracking sound and bits of plaster began to fall from the ceiling and both Draco and Hermione glanced upwards to see the crystal chandelier coming unhinged from the ceiling. They both looked at each other and Hermione lunged forward as Draco pulled her as hard he could. They landed on the hardwood floor of the formal dining room just as the chandelier crashed to the floor. Persephone let out an ear-piercing scream and Draco suddenly remembered that his daughter in law was there. The glass of water she was holding, crashed to the floor and shattered as Persephone stood like a deer caught in the headlights of a muggle car. Both Draco and Hermione craned their necks towards the kitchen, and an uncomfortable silence occurred between the three. Hermione looked down at Draco. He had bits of powdery plaster on his face and Hermione's hair was almost a ghostly white, as she was caked in the mess. She was still tied to the chandelier that was now laying in a half broken heap on the dining room table ( which was no doubt ruined as well) and she sized up Draco's reaction. He looked scared. Not scared that Persephone had just seen and heard them, but that it was ridiculously impossible to explain what had just occurred away, but that he was scared of Hermione's reaction. After all, making love bondage style in the dining room was Draco's idea. Tying her to the chandelier, was also his creation. Hermione cracked a slight smile at Draco and his facial expression eased. Then she bust out in laughter, and Draco wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly, he too laughing over the strange situation they now found themselves in.

Persephone did the only thing she could do when she found herself in such uncomfortable situations…she opened her mouth and nervously began to spew off her convictions.

"I know what you're thinking. This is the second time, not the first. The first being when I saw you sucking Mr. Malfoy's dick in the parlor. I promise that if you want to make love on the roof, or on the drive or anywhere else, that I will not watch you a third time!"

"Persephone…Go to bed now and do not speak of this again," Draco said barely able to get the words out from the contagious laughter that he and Hermione suffered from. Persephone nodded and ran upstairs, leaving the mess behind.

"You're cleaning this up," Hermione finally said, pushing off of Draco.

"To the contrary, Mrs. Malfoy. I'm not done with you yet." Draco reached for her and pulled her down to the floor, rolling her over in a quick and unexpected move." Now I'm going to make love to you slowly, and you will feel every inch of my love for you Sweetpea." Hermione moaned and arched her back, the weight of his body over hers giving her goosebumps.

"I missed you so much Draco. Let's never be apart like that again. Alright?"

"Never again," Draco whispered lovingly in her ear as he thrust himself inside her. He smiled at hearing his wife's breath hitch once again. He never got tired of hearing the sweet sounds of their lovemaking.

.

.

Two Months later…

"Come on Malfoy. Ye owe me a chance to race ye again. I rather think I can beat you, I reckon," Oliver Wood said, on the arm of his date (a rather attractive, luminous, blue fairy). Apparently, his relentlessness paid off and he had himself a bonified fairy girlfriend.

Harry was having a grand shindig, to celebrate the overturning of the squib laws, and Draco's successful bid for reelection. Raspodin was nowhere to be found. The French aurors were working with the British aurors to bring him to justice, but as of yet there were few leads. There were rumors that he retuned back to his homeland of Germany, but none that were solid or led to his capture and conviction.

Draco's first order of business was of course, changing the squib laws and the entire Wizengamot voted unanimously in favor of his proposed law to do away with the archaic disdain for squibs. Public opinion was catching on and suddenly many prominent families in the wizarding community, came out of the closet and introduced their squib, son's and daughters and cousins and nieces and nephews to the world. It was now the IN thing to have a squib in your family tree, a notion that those with squibs were somehow more evolved then those without hem. Squibs were in style. This would change soon enough, once the newness wore off and Draco knew that, which is why he and Luke were actively experimenting with a potion that would counter-act the sea monsters blood in many of the squibs blood.

Luna and Blaise and the Nott's all retuned to Britain, with stories to tell of America and of their great escape. Luna had offered up little Jessie as the guinea pig of Luke and Draco's experimental testing. Of course they refused, but in the back of Draco's mind he really did want to cure Jessie the most. The girl was a witch if he'd ever seen one and while he knew that some squibs were always meant to be squibs, he felt that Jessie was not one of them.

He bounced Jillian in his arms and gave Wood a bored look.

"Wood, would you just give it up already. You will never make it through the clues, so just let it go already. Besides, I am having too much fun with my daughter. Look what she can do!" Draco proudly showed off his beautiful blonde daughter to anyone who would listen to him. Hermione beamed with pride at the father of her only daughter.

"Suit yourself, but I am going to run The Gauntlet one more time. I'll just tell all the blokes waiting down on the lawn, that you won't be defending your title, because ye grown a bit soft since having a wee daughter of ye're own." Wood began to walk away.

"Wait. Give me five minutes," Draco said, falling for the bait. Wood smiled eagerly.

Hermione and Ginny were sitting on a blanket on the lawn, absorbing some of the late afternoon rays, when Draco set little Jillian down on her stomach. She was crawling now. Hermione was tickling little Albus's tummy and making cooing noises to Ginny and Harry's new baby and Jillian gazed up at her mother with her sparkling pools of blue grey. A morbidly wicked face came over Jillian's angelic aura. She pulled at the messy mop of dark hair on Albus's head and the baby wailed. Ginny cringed and picked Albus up.

"You don't like Mummy playing with other babies, do you sweetie?" Hermione said, lifting little Jillian into her arms. The child's face returned to its bright and cheery disposition and Hermione rocked the almost one year old baby Jillian, in her arms, sweet victory playing over Jillian's infantile face. This would be just the first of many victories over her future nemesis,Albus Potter.

.

.

"Such a precious pair they make," Roman said squatting down to admire both babies. "I see a lot of struggle in their futures, but also calming seas of purple." Roman chuckled and Hermione thanked him once again for saving Draco's life. His name had been cleared and he now went by his given name of Rasputin. He had gained quite a reputation in a short time, helping aurors with their investigation of Raspodin, who it turns out name was actually quite plain. He was known as Clyde Baxter, in Bulgaria and Germany. He was better known as the leader of the racist and radical Wizards Supremecy faction, a terrorist group that frequently kidnapped squibs from the safety of their homes and loving families and sold them to the Squib Shops, making a tidy profit in the black market of squibs in the process. It was enough to allow this group to spread throughout parts of Europe, and Draco, with the help of other European Minster's, had set up a task force of special aurors, to crack down and disband these terrorist groups. Harry Potter had been named head auror and he was having great success at his new job. Harry was now finally taking a much needed rest and enjoying the festivities as he and Ron debated over putting in a wizards chess board as part of the Gauntlet. Ron seemed to deem it appropriate and just out and out cool.

As Draco approached the starting line, Neville Longbotom and Pansy Parkinson approached him. He had tried to duck them for the first half of the party, but Neville seemed intent on having a word with him.

"Hello Draco. Pansy has something she needs to say to you." Neville gripped Pansy's hand, hard, and Pansy opened her mouth to speak.

"I'm sorry Draco. I was sucked in by Raspodin. He brainwashed me." Draco nearly laughed. Neville, the Gryffindor, might have believed her claims of being brain washed, but Draco was a Slytherin, like Pansy and he recognized a lie when he heard one. "I am really sorry that I didn't free you when given the chance. Thank you for not prosecuting me."

"Oh, I was getting around to it Pansy. I just had bigger to fish to fry first. Perhaps I will think about your apology. Now, if you don't mind. Piss off Parkinson!" Pansy huffed and walked away, joining Blaise and Luna who were searching in the grass with little Jessie for something that probably didn't exist. Blaise would stand up and look around, to make sure people weren't watching him, clearly embarrassed by Luna's strange hobbies, but too afraid to disagree with her. Draco always got a chuckle when he saw how whipped Blaise was over his sister.

"Draco, she really does mean it. She cried to me over what she did to you. Will you really throw her in Azkaban?" Neville pleaded, the honesty in his voice always astounding Draco, even to this day.

"No Longbotom. I am not going to lock her away in Azkaban, because there will not be an Azkaban anymore, if I get my way. I just like seeing her stew a little bit. Don't tell her ok. Or I will press charges." Draco winked at Neville and Neville smiled and nodded.

Nathaniel had been helping Scorpius get back in shape for his return to quidditch. Scorpius was just thrilled to be back in the game. He was like a kid in a candy shop doing daily drills on the makeshift quidditch pitch Draco had set up at serenity, so that he could practice. Nathaniel and he had bonded. His girlfriend had stayed behind in America to mind the shop on The Strip, and Nathaniel traveled back and forth between countries. He finally had a real family and his girlfriend didn't want to make him chose between her and the Malfoy's, so she endured the long distance relationship.

Draco saw Nathaniel sitting on the ground, visibly shaken. The race was about to begin, but he wanted to make sure his brother was alright. Nathaniel had been a rock for Draco and Hermione when they needed him the most, so race or no race, he was going to be there for him.

"Hey brother…" Nathaniel always smiled when Draco referred to him as that, which is why Draco said it today. "What's wrong? You look as if you've seen a vampire." Nathaniel looked up at Draco and raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, bad joke. But what's wrong?"

"She had the baby. I'm a father," Nathaniel said shaken.

"I thought she wasn't due for another month! Congratulations man!" Draco clapped his brother on the back. "So why the sour face?"

"I'm afraid. I don't know what to do with babies. She asked me what I want to name our son."

"That's great Nat!" Draco shook his hand and then hollered, so everyone on the lawn could hear that Nathaniel had a baby boy.

"I'm going to tell her to name him Draco, is that alright with you if I give him your namesake? Perhaps he will turn out like you, instead of like me. That is my hope anyway. I do not think I have it in me to be a good father. Just too much has happened to me. I'm not sure I'm ready."

Draco thought about it, in stunned shock

"I am honored, I really am. Just know Nathaniel, that you will figure it out as you go. Even now, I am learning how to be a better father. It's a never ending process as I'm sure our own Father would attest to. Hermione and I are here for you though. Always." Nathaniel showed some signs of relief when Draco said that and he finally relaxed and smiled.

"Better get a move on Malfoy, if you're going to race!" Harry called out, pointing at the contestants who had already started to run The Gauntlet. Draco hopped on his broom and made for the starting line, and they were off. Draco could really care less about this all in fun running of the Gauntlet, he just didn't like being called a soft heart so he agreed to run it.

Wood was off in furious motion, knocking people over and making his way to the maze. Draco entered the maze right behind him and then stopped short when he saw a hooded figure jump out from behind a hedge in the maze and hold his wand on Wood. Draco watched as green light streamed by Wood only narrowly missing him. He heard the audible killing curse shouted out and Wood ducked and rolled landing next to Draco.

"Blimey Malfoy! That bogart looked a little real! Is that your fear being conjured, because I've never seen such a hideous man before in my life!" Draco held his wand in the air and red flares shot high above the maze. This was no bogart. Wood was right. this was a trap!

.

.

"Did you hear that Ron?" Harry spun his head towards the east corner of the grounds.

"No. Come on mate, put your work behind you for just one evening and have fun. So, did I tell you that me and Padma are dating now?"

"Really, Ron…I heard something. I think someone may have broken through one of the security enchantments I set up." No sooner had Harry said that, did he see Draco's warning shot from the maze. Harry took off on his Firebolt and made for the maze with Ron tagging along behind him.

.

"Hermione, did you see that? Something's going on in the maze!" Ginny said plucking little Albus up and running for Blaise and Luna. Hermione was right behind her. They handed the babies off to Luna and Blaise, who seemed confused and worried and Hermione and Ginny made for the Gauntlet.

.

.

"Wood! We should really stick together. I think we are being hunted," Draco warned.

"This is a Slytherin tick. I'll not let you beat me this time Malfoy!" With that, Wood took off on his own, leaving Draco behind, shaking his head.

"Stupid arsehole! " He said as he held his wand out and crept silently through the maze. Draco rounded the corner when he thought he heard something in front of him. The sun had set and the maze became very dark. Draco was unable to see his hand in front of his face, so he reluctantly lit his wand.

"Lumos."

"Avada Kedavra!" Came a voice from just up ahead and Draco dove into the hedge, his arms and face now scratched up from the prickly growth. "I got one of them, Harry!"

"You bloody fucking idiot! You almost got _me_ Weasel," Draco shouted, holding his wand now on Ron.

"Oh, right, sorry 'bout that. I guess I couldn't tell the difference between one of the bad guys, and you Ferret."

"Be more careful Ron!" Harry chastised. Just then they heard footsteps and a cloaked figure shot by them. Draco gave chase with Harry right behind him.

"Crucio!" Draco called out and green flames bounded from his wand, hitting his cloak and forcing him to the ground.

"Stop Malfoy! Enough!" Harry called out. "We need to find out what we are dealing with." Draco dropped his wand and then yanked the figure on the ground to his feet.

"Right, who the fuck are you and what's going on here?"

"Fuck you and your squibs! Voldemort will live again!" The man said and Draco held his wand to his neck.

"I know who you are! You're one of the terrorists I've been searching for. I almost had you in Prague, you know. So I assume Raspodin is here as well?" Harry said to the man who wore a mask. When Draco got a good look at the man, he shuddered. He was wearing a Death Eater mask. Visions of the past, haunted Draco and for a moment he felt fear grip him.

"Why the fuck is he wearing a Death Eater mask, Potter?" Draco shouted in torment.

"The Wizengamot wanted to hush this all up. We found evidence recently, that Raspodin was leading what he calls a Second Reich. He wants to continue Voldemort's work. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but due to your past with Voldemort, the chairman of the council decided you shouldn't know," Harry admitted, holding the cloaked,masked man by the shirt collar with his wand to his neck.

"I'm the Minister of Magic! Did you think that I might join forces with Raspodin? Is that why nobody bothered to tell me what was really going on?"

"Look, I'm sorry Malfoy! I just did what I was told. No, I didn't think that, but some…well…Maybe some did. Hell, Lucius was Voldemort's right hand man! And you… you carry the mark on your arm. Can you imagine the strength Raspodin would have with the British Minister of Magic behind him? I'm just saying, try to see it fro the councils point of view. I don't agree with them though!"

Draco was furious. Here he stood in a maze, surrounded by Death Eater wannabee's and all the people he thought were his friends, thought that he might return to his old ways. Nevermind all his years as am upstanding citizen. Nevermind all the equality laws he had passed. No, once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater it seemed.

"Did Hermione know about this?" Draco shouted in anger.

"We all knew Malfoy!" Ron said when Harry was reluctant to answer. "All the Gryffindor's anyway," he added with a mumble.

"It just came out Malfoy. That's why I had this party, because we knew none of us would get to see our families. The Ministry is sending a team of aurors, fifty strong, to wipe out these Voldemort worshippers. I'm sure Hermione was going to tell you."

"Fucking great! My own fucking wife is hiding things from me too?" Just then, Ginny and Hermione rounded the corner, out of breath. Hermione ran smack into Draco and was surprised to see his cold gray eyes staring daggers at her. Then came a familiar voice.

"I'm sorry…we…wanted to help but he caught us."

"Er…me too," came the second voice of Oliver Wood.

Draco,Hermione,Harry,Ginny and Ron, all stood with their backs to each other and their wands held out, to face the multitude of cloaked figures. They had three hostages and Draco lowered his wand when he saw who two of them were.

Review!?

Ok, so I told you this was really long chapter and I had to break it up again lol One more chapter left, for real! Thank you all for the awesome reviews!!


	22. The Awakening

Broomsticks and The Wizards Gauntlet

Chapter 22

_A/N_ _I swear this IS the last chapter lol Thanks to everyone who was able to hang in there!_

"Drop your wands now!" Draco demanded of his wife and friends. Hermione had already dropped her wand and was screaming at the top of her lungs for them to release Luke and Scorpius.

"Fucking hit him with an Unforgivable, Dad! Fuck this fat fucker! I'll do it if you don't!" Scorpius raved, while Luke seemed to be assessing the situation, looking for any small chance to escape. As their captors removed Scorpius's wand from his possession, Luke slid his hand under his robes, intent on pulling his wand on the man that held him by the neck. Draco nodded a subtle no, and Luke ceased in his actions.

"Just calm down, Scorpius. This is all going to be over soon enough, just calm down son," Draco said and Scorpius stopped struggling. That's all Draco and Hermione needed right now, was Scorpius losing his cool and getting himself killed.

"What do you want from us?" Hermione yelled.

"I'll handle this," Draco said to Hermione. "You want me? Take me instead, and let my sons go." Raspodin, who presided over the group of Death Eaters, waved his hand and Draco held his arms out, allowing himself to be taken.

"Draco,no!" Hermione ran forward but Harry held her back.

"'Mione, we can take them. Just wait for my signal and we'll take them. Listen to your husband's advice, and stay cool." Ginny and Ron gave Hermione a slight wink and a nod, and Hermione felt slightly better.

"Now, let them go! You have what you want." Draco was furious. Two men held his arms behind his back. Within a second, he was cuffed and forced to his knees. Raspodin, nodded to the men holding Luke and Scorpius and they were released. Hermione hugged her two sons and ordered them to stand behind Harry and the rest. Hermione had fought wizards far worse then this lot, so she felt confidant, especially with Harry at her side, but Luke and Scorpius were in way over their heads and she wanted to protect them at all cost.

"Roll his sleeve up!" Raspodin ordered the taller of the two men that was towering over Draco. The man did as he was told and rolled Draco's sleeve up. "The other arm you twit!" When the man rolled the other sleeve up, Draco's dark mark was visible. Raspodin smiled. "I knew you had it! The papers said you didn't, but I knew you did!"

"Bravo, I have the Dark Mark you stupid wanker! The Dark Lord was never as inefficient as you. You really are out of your league. Turn yourself over to Potter and the aurors and I will give you life in prison, instead of DEATH, which you surely deserve," Draco shouted. One of the men clobbered him in the face and Draco fell to his hands and knees, spitting blood from his mouth.

"You!" Raspodin pointed to Oliver Wood.

"Me? Oh, I'm not involved in all of this. I'm just a Keeper in the game of quidditch. Do ye' like quidditch?" Oliver babbled.

"Shut up fool! Go and get Rasputin. Bring him to me or all your friends will suffer immeasurable pain." Oliver looked at him quizzically and then Raspodin yelled again and Olive bolted through the maze.

"Follow the bumbling idiot. Make sure he finds his way out of the maze and brings me Rasputin," he said to the henchmen at his left, who up until that time, had his wand pointed at Harry and Hermione.

In the minutes that followed, while they waited for Wood to return with Rasputin, Harry Potter tried to talk Raspodin out of whatever plot he was cooking up. Tried and failed however, and suddenly Wood stumbled back into view, almost stepping on Draco as he stopped short, out of breath. Behind him, was a cloaked figure, holding Roman at wand point by the neck.

"You! I was hoping I'd meet you again! Let these fine people go. Your beef is with me," Roman seethed in anger as he looked at the now unmasked figure of Raspodin. "You take my family name and throw me into prison when I healed your syphilis. I healed your impotency and for this, you steal my lineage?"

"Silence Rasputin! That's right. I've been following you for a long while. You are no grandson of Rasputin. Rasputin had no children. You are Rasputin himself!"

"Nonsense! My grandfather was poisoned and shot and then thrown into the river where he drowned," Roman shouted, breaking free of the man that held him.

"Seize him! He is the one who can bring the Dark Lord back. He saved himself that day in the river when he was pronounced dead. He can bring the dead back, I say!"

"Are you insane? Voldemort is dead! I killed him myself. He cannot come back!" Harry said. As he said it, though he saw a fearful expression on Roman's face at the same time as the words passed his lips. "You can't, can you?" Harry now asked Rasputin, who was down on his knees next to Draco. Rasputin did not answer.

"Are you Rasputin? You must be over a hundred years old?" Harry asked. Draco looked up, and shook his head at Harry. He knew for a fact, that he was the holy healer and prophet from years past. Harry's face sagged.

"You must take me to the water," Roman said with a dour face. At that, Draco and Roman were heaved to their feet and the entire group were escorted to the edge of the Loch. Raspodin flicked his wand and a hole opened up in the hedge and they found themselves standing at the banks of the Loch. Green light whizzed through the night and Harry's eyes darted in the direction by which it came. He saw Nathaniel and Lucius Malfoy jump out from behind a clump of trees, hitting two of Raspodin's masked men with the killing curse. Harry and the others were thankful for the diversion and they too became embroiled in a ferocious wand fight. Red and green bolts streaked through the night sky. Hermione dove on her sons, yelling at them to stay down, when both Luke and Scorpius tried to stand and fight.

"For Merlin fucking sake! You're my sons and I don't care if you're practically men, lay the fuck down!" Hermione shouted and both boys did as she asked. A bolt streaked at Hermione and Scorpius threw his mother over his shoulders, the bolt narrowly missing her. Luke climbed over to his mother, and laid his body over hers, covering her from the incoming fire. When the fighting stopped, six of the multitude of Death Eaters, lay in a heap on the ground.

"Everyone alright?" Harry yelled through the darkness.

"Get your fucking, god damn, hands off me!" Nathaniel yelled. He was captured, just as he reached the silt banks of the loch, where Draco was being held. A Death Eater stood over Hermione,Scorpius and Luke, wand pointed at Hermione. Ginny was also being nearly strangled by one of Raspodin's wizards. Ron was hit with a stunning spell and he lay silently in the grass. Wood had fled the scene and Lucius was nowhere to be found. Harry was the only one not being held at wand point. He gulped at seeing the predicament his friends were in.

"Drop your wand or your wife will be the first to go," Raspodin said and Harry dropped his wand on the ground in front of him. This was the exact reason he didn't like Ginny around, when a battle was commencing. His head was muddled with thoughts of Ginny's safety and he knew the situation called for him to be alert and focused.

"Take Rasputin into the water!"

The wizard was tossed into the cold, dark waters of Loch Lioness. His arms flailed and for a moment, it looked as if he may drown, but he found his footing in the mucky bottom, his feet sinking into the soft mud.

"I cannot do what it is you ask!"

"Kill Malfoy's wife. I may still need Malfoy himself," Raspodin ordered. At that, Scorpius launched himself at the masked wizard hovering over them. Luke grabbed Hermione and pushed her behind him.

"Wait! I can do it, but I need someone who is loyal to Voldemort. Since I was not, I cannot transform myself into him. Please, let us not shed any more blood. Please." Raspodin nodded and Draco was suddenly being shoved into the cold water. Raspodin whispered to Draco and Draco nodded. Roman smiled. He laid his hands upon Draco's dark mark and whispered many indecipherable words. When nothing happened, Raspodin became enraged.

"Do not test me! I will kill you and the rest of these squib lovers!"

"If you hate them so much, then why did you create so many?" Draco said smugly, through chattering teeth. "You messed with the gene pool just to win an election. How demented is that?" Raspodin's face was turning a bright purple, so Rasputin spoke up.

"He has no allegiance to the wicked wizard of times past. I can not use Draco in the ritual." Raspodin sneered, and then a wicked smile came over his face. His mustache twitching sinisterly, he called out Lucius Malfoy.

"Your son is worthless, but then he always was, wasn't he? Tell me of the shame you felt when he failed the Dark Lord. Tell me how you lived to serve the Dark Lord. Tell me Lucius. Your son may not have any allegiance to the Dark Lord, but you're different. You would be at his side right now, if he lived. I offer you that chance again.

Suddenly Raspodin's eyes went wide and he lurched forward when he felt something sticking into his back.

"I wouldn't move, not even a hair, you see, I have my wand in your back," Lucius Malfoy stepped out form the shadows. He had been standing only a foot behind Raspodin the whole time. he still had the stealth of a cat.

"You want the Dark Lord back, just as I do!" Raspodin yelled. Lucius's blond hair could be seen in the moonlight. He spoke methodically and Harry felt shivers go down his spine, remembering just how frightening Lucius Malfoy could be. For a moment, he worried that Lucius may actually take him up on the whole idea. If Rasputin could indeed bring Voldemort back from the dead, as he did himself so long ago, then the entire wizarding world was in big trouble. Had Lucius really changed, or had he just joined the side of good because he had no other choice? All these thoughts ran through Harry's mind…and even Draco's, as he shivered in waist high deep black water.

"Let my son go and leave now. I will allow you passage away from this place."

"Help me bring Voldemort back!"

"Do you not understand that Draco was my redemption? I feel only pride towards Draco. I would have killed Voldemort myself, if I had the strength. I was weak back then, but I'll not be weak now. I spit on the grave of the Dark Lord, just as I will spit on yours, if you do not call your pathetic little group off of my son and family," Lucius said in a shrill whisper into Raspodin's ear, his wand jabbing hard into the wizards neck now.

"Kill Malfoy!" Raspodin shouted.

"Fine. Have it your way." Lucius said in a controlled tone even still but inside he was a bundle of nerves. There were so many wands on Draco and he feared that somebody would be killed tonight. He dropped his wand on Raspodin and made his way to the shore. Now three men were in the loch. Rasputin repeated the ritual again and although both Draco and Lucius's dark marks burned on their arms, nothing happened.

"For Merlin's sake! Use me!" Raspodin said, charging into the water, his black cloak flaying in the water. Both Draco and Lucius remained strong as they were cuffed and at their captors mercy in the frigid waters. "Before we start this, there is just something I've been dying to do."

Raspodin, raised his wand at Draco. "This is for beating me in the election and passing those ludicrous squib laws!."

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Lucius lunged, to take the bolt for Draco, but he couldn't move his hands in the water and his head bobbed under the water. When he managed to find his footing again, he craned his neck in a three sixty, but Draco was nowhere to be seen. Hermione was wailing repeatedly, sobbing for her husband. She heard the curse and she shouted Draco's name, her voice raw and hoarse as her screams echoed through the night. Scorpius stood next to her in disbelief, while Luke held Hermione, trying to be strong for his mother. Scorpius took off towards the water, shouting obscenities. He was stopped by Harry Potter.

"It's dark! You have no wand! You cannot see what happened. He might be alive!" Harry held Scorpius back.

"Dad!" Scorpius shouted. Rasputin laid his hands on Raspodin and began to chant once again, and things went from bad to worse. The entire loch, lit up with a golden light, that slowly turned into a putrid green color, the waters becoming fluorescent, as Raspodin began to change. When his transformation was complete, Lucius swallowed hard. He couldn't believe what he was looking at.

"Lucius…been a very long time hasn't it?" Voldemort cackled loudly.

"Ow!" Harry's scar burned and he nearly fell to his knees. When he raised his eyes and his wand, he saw the vision of Voldemort wading in the water, a green light surrounding him.

"This isn't possible!" Lucius was dumbstruck.

.

Draco jumped backwards as the killing curse shot at him through the water. It caught him in the shoe, but the water deflected it and he just felt a hard jolt. It was enough to knock him out though and when he came to, he was gasping for breath. He was in a deeper section of the loch now and everything was so murky and dark. He didn't know which way was up. Suddenly, he saw a silver light, reflecting in front of his face. His hands were bound and he was wandless. It seemed hopeless, but the silver light came closer and Draco turned around and caught the silver object in his hand. His dragon necklace, must have broken loose from the jolt of the spell. He held it now in his fingers and rubbed it. Suddenly he saw moonlight above him and he kicked with all his might to reach the surface.

.

"Jessie you must stop! There is something very bad going on down there. Please, Jessie! Blaise? Help me!" Luna screamed frantically as she tried to chase Jessie, with little Albus in her hands. Blaise, who had been holding Jillian, handed her to Luna and he took off after Jessie. The little girl ran with all her might.

"Auntie Hermione," Jessie said crouching down next to a wailing and hysterical Hermione. "Don't cry, Auntie Hermione. Uncle Draco told me he would always come for the bad men. He'll come!" Jessie wiped Hermione's tears away with her tiny fingers. Blaise stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a struggle taking place further away on the banks. Ron was on his feet and was mounting an attack as Harry moved closer to the water, his wand pointed on Voldemort, a second showdown imminent. Hermione stroked the little girls face and prepared to tell her that Draco was gone forever, when she felt something. Draco was in her head. She felt him so strongly, behind her eyes.

"The necklace, Nathaniel! Draco is alive! I can feel him!" Hermione laughed as she broke away from Luke. The Death Eater holding her at wand point, looked at her like she was insane. It was thast or he actually felt some remorse for just killing the MInistr of Magic and her husband. She took that moment to knee him in the groin. He dropped his wand and Hermione retrieved it.

"Fight! Draco's alive! Fight!" Hermione ran wildly through the darkness with Luke in tow. She cast spell after spell, hex after hex and Ginny and Nathaniel were now free. The battle commenced and sparks of light shot through the night.

"Jessie,where are you! Please baby, come on." Blaise was frantically searching for Jessie, but it wasn't Blaise who found her. It was Voldemort instead.

"What have we here? A muggle… or a squib?"

"You a bad man and my uncle Draco said to run away from bad men!"

"There is nothing worse then a muggle…that is…except a squib. You are an insult to our race little girl."

"My Uncle Draco is going to get you, BAD MAN!"

"Your Uncle Draco is DEAD, filthy disgusting squib! Perhaps you should heed his advice and run away, before I have to make an example out of you." Voldemorts gnarled and pale blue fingers, wrapped themselves around Jessie's face, but the little girl stood steadfast, and unafraid.

Without warning, the wind began to blow through Jessie's hair and Voldemort pulled back, as if the mere touch of her skin had burned him. The wind whipped into a frenzy and the source of wind, seemingly emanated from Jessie herself.

"Here he comes! I told you!" Roman was cheering Jessie on and encouraging her. Lucius reached into Voldemort's cloak and took his wand, freeing himself from his binds. It was a scary move, that he never would have contemplated let alone tried back in the old days. Voldemort turned on Lucius and like a vampirish beast of the night, attacked him, clawing at his face and hair, with his talon like claws.

"Run Jessie!" Lucius managed to say, before a gurgling sound was made, as the pair went under the water. The wind increased and everybody on the shore stopped to look, when they heard a deep rumbling coming from the water. Voldemort himself even stopped to look and Lucius drained the water from his lungs on the shore, exhausted and out of breath, coughing and sputtering.

Jessie lifted her arms high into the air, above her tiny little body and with it, a monster of enormous proportion rose with her arms from the loch. The body was huge, with a elongated neck and the head of a serpent.

"Bloody hell, what is it!" Ron shouted, dropping his wand.

All eyes were in awe, as the serpent leaned over the banks of the loch. Draco slid off its great neck and fell to the ground, with a thud. His body was limp and cold, but he was alive. Hermione ran to her husband's side and conjured blankets to warm his pale and freezing body.

"The sea monster says that you killed one of her babies! You a very bad man! She is very angry with you." Voldemort looked at the little girl, in shock and then he felt something splatter against the back of his neck. He turned quickly, to see the face of the beast staring him down. The beast's mouth opened and then a crunching noise was heard. Everybody, but Jessie and Ron and Scorpius, turned away. When the others looked back, all they could see, was rippling water, on calm seas.

"It ate him! It bloody ate him Harry! Have you ever seen something like that?" Ron said. Harry was shaking his head in disbelief. At that, the rest of the masked Death Eaters that remained, laid down their arms and surrendered--for a little girl, that could communicate and command such a powerful magical beast, was not to be trifled with.

.

.

**36 hours later…**

.

Draco awoke in his soft bed. He was covered up with several blankets and he felt smothered by the heat. He threw the blankets off him and stood up. He looked down to notice that he was wearing a pair of pajama bottoms. He had no idea how he got here and who dressed him.

He started down the stairs. He heard voices in the kitchen, so he made his way into the family room, to find his family sitting around conversing politely, eating some kind of a crème pie.

"Dragon! Oh, you're awake. Are you cold? You should really have a shirt on," Hermione fussed over him. The second he looked at her, he remembered it all. Raspodin, drowning, the beast that had somehow picked him up and carried his tired and cold body to the shore. He also remembered the little revelation from Potter in the maze and the fact that Hermione knew about Raspodin's plot and hadn't told him about. He suddenly became angry again. His wife didn't believe in him, enough to tell him something so important, after all he had been through at the hands of that despicable man. Hermione shoved a plate with a slice of pie on it in Draco's hands while Draco glared at her.

"Here, eat up. It's your favorite! You need to regain your strength." Hermione said with loving affection for her husband. Draco felt like being an arse though…so… he was.

"Did you make it?" He said, pushing the plate back into Hermione's hands. Hermione narrowed her eyes at Draco and pushed it back at him.

"Your mother made it, you evil git!" Draco took it and licked his lips, taking a large bite and walking into the family room to kiss his kids. Hermione huffed and stood with her arms folded, waiting for the axe to fall. She knew what Draco was mad about and she knew it was going to come to a shouting match very quickly.

Jessie and Luke explained about the potion Luke had secretly given Jessie and how it had worked. That he thought her ability to talk to the sea monster of the loch, had something to do with the sea monsters blood running through her veins. When Draco asked Luke what the potion had in it, Luke replied…"more sea monsters blood." Draco dropped his fork in surprise and worry.

"Luke…she may have her magic back, but it's not exactly a normal witches magic. What if she becomes like…you know…one of the water serpents?"

Luke laughed. He handed Jessie his wand and asked Jessie to perform a simple levitating spell. She passed with flying colors.

"Each dosage is different, by the amount of sea monster blood they have in their system at the time of taking the potion. I calculated their body mass and the differential between the sea monster's magical blood, to their own magical blood that lies dormant. I upped the dose of the sea monsters blood and it seems to bring out their magic. Once they are able to perform magic again, their natural witch or wizards blood seems to take over. I suspect in a couple weeks, with more simple exercises, like the levitating spell, Jessie will be a fully fledged witch, just like Mum or Lily." Luke seemed sure of himself and Draco was tired, so he let it go for now. He would surely be in the lab tomorrow, but for now, he had a bone to pick with his wife.

"Sweetpea? Join me in the library?" Draco said with a sarcastic tone. She just wanted to smack that sneer off his face. They both made their way to the library. Draco closed the doors to the library. He never did that, unless he intended to raise his voice. Hermione glared at him.

"Don't fucking look at me like that," Draco said callously.

"I'll fucking look at you however I wish,Dragon," Hermione returned his sarcastic tone.

"Why didn't you tell me about Raspodin and his plans? I could have your job you know! I could have the entire Wizengamot's jobs for fucksakes!"

"Shut up, Draco."

"What did you say to me?"

"I said…eat your pie and shut up." Hermione stormed to his desk and thumbed through his daily planner. Draco was anal about having Prunella keep his daily schedule up to date. She shoved it hard, into Draco's gut.

"What in the bloody hell is _this_?"

"It's your planner _moron_!" Hermione folded her arms again and cocked her head to the side, tossing her hair in a huff.

"I know it's my fucking planner, _Hermione_! Not very smart, for the smartest witch of her age, are you? Why are you showing me this!"

"READ IT DRACO!" Hermione yelled.

Draco glanced down and read it.

"So what? Says you had an appointment with me last week. Who bloody well fucking cares! I had to cancel it, because the Thai Minister came to Britain and wanted to meet and discuss their own squib laws being changed and how to implement the changes." Hermione remained quiet and allowed Draco to put it together in his head. "Oh, oh I get it! You are saying you made an appointment to see me to discuss "Official Ministry business?" You fucking sleep with me! You could have told me after I fucked you. I fucked you good too, on that day, as I recall. You could have told me when we showered…Oh yes, I fucked you there too!"

"Are you really that ignorant Draco? You know I can't discuss Ministry business with you, hence I lose my job! I had to make that appointment with you as your legal counsel. If I had told you under any other circumstance, then under lawyer/client confidentiality, I'd be liable. I found a way around it, by using the fact that I am your legal consultant. It was the only way to keep both of us out of trouble and to save my job!"

"You're crazy, you know that!?" Draco shouted.

"You're an idiot."

"I don't like you right now," Draco said snidely.

"Well I hate you, in fact!" Hermione shouted back.

"I hate you more!"

"Oh please, not even an original come back. Stupid wanker."

"Bitch."

With that, Hermione shoved Draco's pie in his face and proceeded to laugh. He had whip cream allover his face, sticking to the fringe of his bangs. She knew Draco would be angry, so she turned to leave, but he caught her around the waist and brought her into his body.

"Lick it off," Draco said authoritatively.

"I…" His grip tightened on her.

"Lick it off Malfoy…Now!" Hermione leaned into his face and licked a little of the crème from his chin. She licked more from the side of his mouth and then his lips. He plunged his mouth down over hers when she touched his lips and Hermione found herself pressed hard into one of Draco's kisses of fire. The crème was now allover her face as well, as they continued to kiss. Her hands traveled down his slightly perspiring chest. He took her hand and shoved it down his pajama bottoms. She wrapped her hand around his thick cock and moaned into his mouth. He pulled away from her kiss.

"What say we live dangerously this time?" Draco asked wiping his face off on Hermione's shirt.

"What did you have in mind?" Hermione asked coyly.

"Let's do it in the bedroom tonight." Hermione squealed when Draco lifted her over his shoulder and threw the library doors open, to find Narcissa eavesdropping. She blushed and turned around and walked away as Draco passed by.

"Just making sure you made up! Sounded like a terrible fight," Narcissa said as if her actions were completely justified.

"Draco can be much more terrible, Cissy!" Hermione hollered as Draco smacked her arse while he traversed the staircase.

"You're going to find out just how terrible Granger." Draco smirked and threw her on their bed before pouncing on her.

The

End

By Jenny

I will start the first chapter of the next and FINAL Broomsticks story in a few days time. I am playing with a name for it still, so I can't announce it yet. I do have a great plot though. NO, no more squibs…I am so tired of squibs! Lol Let me give a brief sentence or two summary to wet your appetites. Jillian and Albus find themselves in the Forbidden Forrest doing a late night detention together, when something happens and they find themselves at a strange and different Hogwarts. Jillian makes a quick friend in Slytherin…and he pretty much runs the show in Slytherin House. That is storyline "A" obviously…I don't want to reveal what I have planned for all the storylines right now, but I have those in mind already too. Thank you to every single person who has reviewed me in this story and the others too! I have a lot I would like to say, but right now I am burnt! So I am going to chill and watch some Michael Phelps in the Olympics. Those swimmers really are built aren't they? lol


End file.
